Daoud Isa
Encyclopedia
Issa Daoud El-Issa was born in Jaffa
, Palestine
. As a prominent poet and journalist in Ottoman
Palestine he founded the newspaper Filastin
with his cousin Joseph. This bi-weekly newspaper was one of the most prominent and long running in the country at the time, it was dedicated to Arab Nationalism
and the cause of the Arab Orthodox
in their struggle with the Greek-Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem. He was passionately opposed to Zionism
and Jewish immigration. Exiled during World War I
, he became chief of the royal court in Damascus during Amir Faisal
's government where he used to stipulate that the Damascus
newspaper publishers devote half the columns of their papers to the Palestinian
cause before giving them their monthly allowance. He was elected to the 7th Congress of the Arab Executive Committee in June 1928 for Jaffa
. He became a member of the oppositional National Defense Party (mu'arada faction) in the Arab Executive Committee in 1932; known as moderate politician he headed several Arab Christian-Orthodox conferences in Palestine
and Transjordan
. His son Raja El-Issa continued to publish the newspaper. Issa died on 29 June 1950 in Beirut
.
Jaffa
Jaffa is an ancient port city believed to be one of the oldest in the world. Jaffa was incorporated with Tel Aviv creating the city of Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel. Jaffa is famous for its association with the biblical story of the prophet Jonah.-Etymology:...
, Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
. As a prominent poet and journalist in Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
Palestine he founded the newspaper Filastin
Filastin (newspaper)
Filastin was a twice-weekly newspaper published from 1911-1948 in Palestine. Published from Jaffa, the principal publishers were Isa al-Isa and his cousin Yusef al-Isa. Both al-Isas were Greek Orthodox, opponents of British administration, and supporters of pan-Arab unity...
with his cousin Joseph. This bi-weekly newspaper was one of the most prominent and long running in the country at the time, it was dedicated to Arab Nationalism
Arab nationalism
Arab nationalism is a nationalist ideology celebrating the glories of Arab civilization, the language and literature of the Arabs, calling for rejuvenation and political union in the Arab world...
and the cause of the Arab Orthodox
Arab Orthodox
The Arab Orthodox are Arab Greek Orthodox Christian communities which have existed in Greater Syria since the early years of Christianity. During the Palestine Mandate they were prominent in many of the major cities including Jaffa, Nazareth, Haifa and Jerusalem and also formed the majority of...
in their struggle with the Greek-Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem. He was passionately opposed to Zionism
Zionism
Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...
and Jewish immigration. Exiled during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he became chief of the royal court in Damascus during Amir Faisal
Faisal I of Iraq
Faisal bin Hussein bin Ali al-Hashemi, was for a short time King of the Arab Kingdom of Syria or Greater Syria in 1920, and was King of the Kingdom of Iraq from 23 August 1921 to 1933...
's government where he used to stipulate that the Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
newspaper publishers devote half the columns of their papers to the Palestinian
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
cause before giving them their monthly allowance. He was elected to the 7th Congress of the Arab Executive Committee in June 1928 for Jaffa
Jaffa
Jaffa is an ancient port city believed to be one of the oldest in the world. Jaffa was incorporated with Tel Aviv creating the city of Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel. Jaffa is famous for its association with the biblical story of the prophet Jonah.-Etymology:...
. He became a member of the oppositional National Defense Party (mu'arada faction) in the Arab Executive Committee in 1932; known as moderate politician he headed several Arab Christian-Orthodox conferences in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
and Transjordan
Transjordan
The Emirate of Transjordan was a former Ottoman territory in the Southern Levant that was part of the British Mandate of Palestine...
. His son Raja El-Issa continued to publish the newspaper. Issa died on 29 June 1950 in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
.