Southern Syria is a term that may refer to Palestine that was common by the early 20th century and still an occasionally used term in politics, literature and local history of the region or to the southern region of modern-day state of Syria. It includes the region of Hauran, and the governorates of Daraa, As Suwayda, and Quneitra.
Historically, the term "Southern Syria" in Arabic (سوريا الجنوبية, Suriyya al-Janubiyya) could imply support for the Greater Syria nationalism associated with the kingdom promised to the Hashemite dynasty of the Hejaz by the British during World War I. After the war, the Hashemite prince Faisal attempted to establish such a Greater Syrian or pan-Mashriq state (i.e. a united kingdom that would comprise all of what later became Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, and Iraq, so that Palestine (inc. Transjordan) would be a province of "Southern Syria"), but he was stymied by conflicting promises made by the British to different parties (see Sykes-Picot Agreement), leading to the French creation of the mandate of Syria in 1920. Indeed, for hundreds of years prior to World War I, Syria (including modern Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza Strip) was administered and viewed locally as one entity.
According to the Minutes of the Ninth Session of the League of Nations' Permanent Mandate Commission, "Southern Syria" was suggested as the name of the Mandate for Palestine in the Arabic language. The reports says the following: "Colonel Symes explained that the country was described as 'Palestine' by Europeans and as 'Falestin' by the Arabs. The Hebrew name for the country was the designation 'Land of Israel', and the Government, to meet Jewish wishes, had agreed that the word "Palestine" in Hebrew characters should be followed in all official documents by the initials which stood for that designation. As a set-off to this, certain of the Arab politicians suggested that the country should be called 'Southern Syria' in order to emphasise its close relation with another Arab State".
Famous quotes containing the words southern and/or syria:
“How could Southern Ireland keep a bridal North in the manner to which she is accustomed?”
—Terence O’Neill (1914–1990)
“...that he may learn that there is a prophet in Israel.”
—Bible: Hebrew, 2 Kings 5:8.
Elijah to the king of Israel who has received a letter from the king of Syria looking for someone to cure his commander of leprosy.