The Reform Party (or ''Hizb-al-Islah'') was established by Husayn al-Khalidi in

Palestine __NOTOC__ Palestine may refer to: * State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia * Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia * Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East ...

on 23 June 1935. At the time of the party's formation, al-Khalidi was

mayor of Jerusalem The Mayor of the City of Jerusalem is head of the executive branch of the political system in Jerusalem. The mayor's office administers all city services, public property, most public agencies, and enforces all city and state laws within Jerusal ...

. It did not have a large following outside Jerusalem but its views were widely published in the Arab press. Its program called for freedom for Palestine, self-government, welfare for farmers and workers, encouragement of education and opposition to a

Jewish national home A homeland for the Jewish people is an idea rooted in Jewish history, religion, and culture. The Jewish aspiration to return to Zion, generally associated with divine redemption, has suffused Jewish religious thought since the destruction o ...

. From its formation on 25 April 1937, al-Khalidi was a member of the

Arab Higher Committee The Arab Higher Committee ( ar, اللجنة العربية العليا) or the Higher National Committee was the central political organ of the Arab Palestinians in Mandatory Palestine. It was established on 25 April 1936, on the initiative o ...

as the party's representative.''Military Preparations of the Arab Community in Palestine, 1945-1948: 1945-1948'', by Haim Levenberg, Routledge, 1993, p. 7 On 1 October 1937, following disturbances and violence during the 1936–39 Arab revolt in Palestine, the British Mandate administration outlawed the AHC and several other Arab political parties and arrested a number of Arab political leaders. The Reform Party was one of the parties dissolved and Khalidi was one of the leaders arrested.''A Survey of Palestine - prepared in December 1945 and January 1946 for the information of the Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry.'' Reprinted 1991 by The Institute of Palestine Studies, Washington. Volume II. . p.949 He was removed as mayor of Jerusalem and deported to the

Seychelles Seychelles (, ; ), officially the Republic of Seychelles (french: link=no, République des Seychelles; Creole: ''La Repiblik Sesel''), is an archipelagic state consisting of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean. Its capital and largest city, V ...

, together with four other Arab nationalist political leaders.

References

{{Reflist Arab nationalism in Mandatory Palestine Arab nationalist political parties R Political parties in Mandatory Palestine Political parties established in 1935 1935 establishments in Mandatory Palestine Political parties disestablished in 1937 1937 disestablishments in Mandatory Palestine