Musa Kazim Pasha al-Husayni (, ) (1853 – 27 March 1934) held a series of senior posts in the Ottoman administration. He belonged to the prominent al-Husayni family and was mayor of Jerusalem (1918–1920). He was dismissed as mayor by the British authorities and became head of the nationalist Executive Committee of the Palestine Arab Congress from 1922 until 1934. His death was believed to have been caused by injuries received during an anti-British demonstration.
Ottoman career
Born in Jerusalem, as a boy Musa Kazim was sent to Istanbul and attended the Maktab Malkiya (State School) and graduated third amongst students from all over the Ottoman Empire. His first posting was in the Department of Health, but he was quickly promoted in an exceptionally successful career and was given the title Pasha. He became Governor of a series of Ottoman municipalities and regions. These included Safed, Akkar, Irbid, Asir, Najd, Thalis, Hauran. His highest position was as Governor of the al-Muntafaq region of Iraq. His status can be judged by his purchase in 1872 of 1,000 acres of fertile land around Jericho, amounting to two thirds of the farm land in the area. In 1905 he was the governor (kaymakam) of Jaffa.<ref>Pappé, Ilan (2002) 'The Rise and Fall of a Palestinian Dynasty. The Husaynis 1700–1948. AL Saqi edition 2010. . pp. 111, 112.</ref> His career was spanned by the reign of Sultan Abdul Hamid II at a time when the empire was being challenged by expanding European powers and it ended when he retired on the eve of World War I.
Mandate career
In 1918 the British Military Governor of Jerusalem, Ronald Storrs, appointed Musa Kazem as mayor of the city. His brother, Hussein al-Husayni, had been mayor for eight years to 1918 and had died shortly after the surrender of the city to the British. Initially Musa Kazem's relationship with Storrs was good. He spoke English fluently and joined the Governor's pet project, Pro-Jerusalem Society, which was set up to raise the architectural standards of city buildings.
In November 1918 he led a public demonstration against British policy for the first time. It was to protest the jailing of two Arabs following disturbances during counter-demonstrations over Jewish celebrations of the anniversary of the Balfour Declaration.Segev, Tom (2000) One Palestine, Complete – Jews and Arabs under the British Mandate. Little, Brown & Co. . p. 91
A year and a half later at the climax of the Nabi Musa celebrations, Easter 1920, Musa Kazim addressed a large crowd from the balcony of the Arab Club beside the Jaffa Gate. The mood of his audience was nationalistic with chants of "Faisal is our king." In the anti-zionist violence that followed 12 people were killed. The British set up courts-martial to punish those they believed responsible. Haj Amin al-Husseini and Arif al-Arif were sentenced in absentia to ten years hard labour. Khalil Baydas and Ze'ev Jabotinsky (for possession of firearms) were sentenced to fifteen years. Musa Kazim was briefly held in Acre prison.Segev, p. 128.
Following the riots Storrs ordered Musa Kazim's dismissal as mayor. According to Storrs' own account he made sure he had Ragib Nashishibi's signed acceptance of the post before he fired Musa Kazim. Some account claim the mayor resigned in protest of the adoption of Hebrew as an official language.Pappé, note 20, p. 372. Quoting Izzar Tammus (1982) and Jewish sources.Storrs, Ronald (1939) Orientations. Readers Union. pp. 345, 346. "I told the administration that I proposed to dismiss and replace him forthwith."
At the 3rd Congress of the nationalist Palestine Arab Congress in Haifa, 14 December 1920 he was elected president and chairman of the Executive Committee which was to lead opposition to British policy in Palestine for the next ten years. The Executive Committee then met the new High Commissioner, Herbert Samuel, who refused to give them any official recognition unless they accepted British policy for a Jewish National Home.