Hussein Al-Husayni

Hussein Bey al-Husayni
حسين الحسيني
Portrait of al-Husayni during his term as mayor
Mayor of Jerusalem
In office 1909–1917
Preceded by	Yusuf al-Khalidi
Succeeded by	Aref al-Dajani
Personal details
Born	Jerusalem, Ottoman Empire
Died	1918
Nationality	Palestinian
Occupation	Politician

Born into the prominent Jerusalemite Arab family of al-Husayni, his father Salim al-Husayni had also served as mayor of the city.

Under Hussein's leadership, the city went through high development; al-Husayni initiated the paving of roads, which ensured cleaner streets, and started construction of a sewage network, which was partly financed by Jewish communities from outside Palestine. In an interview with the Egyptian newspaper Al-Iqdam in March 1914, he stressed the distinction between Zionism, which did not threaten Palestine, and he believed to be the real risk to the local Arab community from the Jewish settlers movement; and the subsequent necessity to prevent land sales to Jews.^{[dubious – discuss]} Al-Husayni also served as Director of the Red Crescent Society, established in 1915 and promoted Arab-Jewish understanding.

He helped foster Muslim, Jewish and Christian cooperation in an attempt to create a "post-Ottoman" alternative. On 9 December 1917, after the Allied forces led by General Allenby had forced the Ottoman defenders out of the city, al-Husayni formally surrendered Jerusalem to the British Military Administration. He signed an official decree of surrender a few days later, handing the keys of the city gates to Allenby. A couple of weeks after the surrender in January 1918, he died.^{[clarification needed]} After a brief term by Aref al-Dajani, Hussein's brother Musa al-Husayni became mayor of Jerusalem.