40th issue of Revolt’s mouthpiece distributed today

AMMAN — A reprint of the 40th issue of Al Qibla newspaper, the mouthpiece of the Great Arab Revolt, is distributed with today’s Jordan Times issue. 

The newspaper, which was printed in Mecca a century ago, dedicated its editorial to review “lessons followed by lessons” that prove that the Turkish government was antagonising and oppressing the Arab element of the Ottoman Empire, urging the Arabs not to accept such chauvinistic attitude and to revolt against the oppressor. 

The third page of the issue was completely used to run negative, opinionated news about the rulers from the Union and Progress government, including a report claiming that the Turkish leaders, including Jamal Pasha, were addicted to gambling and were squandering the meagre assets of the state.

The rest of the pages included a variety of local news, international developments, poetry and a report on a book about the Great Arab Revolt by an anonymous writer, who sent a copy to the newspaper.  

The distribution of the paper (1916-1924) by The Jordan Times and other local dailies is part of celebrations of the centennial of the Great Arab Revolt.