Government Of Palestine 1924 Early & Rare Emergency Laissez Passer

Before the introduction of Mandatory passports, the British issued Laissez Passer documents, as shown in this 1924 example. The issuing entity is identified as “Palestine” in English, “فلسطين” (Palestine) in Arabic, and “(פלשתינה (א״י” (Palestine plus the acronym for Eretz Yisrael (Land of Israel)) in Hebrew.

The status of Mandatory Palestine’s citizenship was not legally defined until 1925. Before that time, the Government of Palestine issued British passports to those with British nationality, and two types of travel documents to others:

1. Individuals born in Palestine, or with a father born there, could get a Provisional Certificate of Palestinian Nationality if they expressed intent to be citizens. This also applied to those who, during the recent war, were “ex-Russian subjects” who acquired Ottoman nationality in Palestine. (As seen in this example from 1924). The wives such people were also eligible from late 1924.
2. An emergency Laissez-passer. These early documents are rare!

The citizenship of Mandatory Palestine, along with its acquisition methods, was outlined in a July 24, 1925, Order in Council. Turkish residents in Palestine on August 1, 1925, became citizens by default, unless they chose otherwise.

Many other classes of people were able to apply for citizenship, which would be granted at the discretion of the High Commissioner. An ordinance allowing the High Commissioner to issue passports to Mandatory Palestine’s citizens was promulgated soon afterward.

The British government debated Mandatory Palestine’s citizenship since 1920. Delays were due to Turks being enemy aliens until the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne. We can assume she did not make her way to the USA, as the mandatory visas are not there.

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