The Occupied Enemy Territory Administration (OETA) was a joint British and French military administration over Levantine and Mesopotamian provinces of the former Ottoman Empire between 1918–20, set up following the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I. The administration ended following the assignment of the French Mandate of Syria and Lebanon and British Mandate for Palestine at the 19–26 April 1920 San Remo conference.
Following British and French occupation, the region was split into three administrative sub-units, which varied very little from the previous Ottoman divisions. OETA South, consisting of the Ottoman sanjaks of Jerusalem, Nablus and Acre, OETA North (later renamed OETA West) consisting of the Ottoman sanjaks of Beirut, Lebanon, Latakia and a number of sub-districts, and OETA East consisting of the Ottoman Syria Vilayet and Hejaz. But, success of Turkish War of Independence, Maraş, Antep and Urfa sanjaks of former Halep Eyalet remained in Turkey after 1921. Also, Antakya and İskenderun kazas of Halep Sanjak in one were separated as the Republic of Hatay in 1938. The republic joined to Turkey in 1939.
When the British forces occupied Ethiopia, Libya and other Italian colonies during World War II, the OETA was revived as the administrative structure by which the British governed these territories. In Ethiopia, Emperor Haile Selassie was allowed to return and claim his throne, but the OETA authorities ruled the country for some time before full sovereignty was restored to Ethiopia.
Military administrators
OETA South
Field Marshal Edmund Allenby (Dec. 1917 – June 1918)
When Allenby first assumed command of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force he quickly joined the army in the field leaving the political and administrative problems related to the Egyptian Mandate to a Government appointee with a suitable staff. The area of formerly Ottoman territory now under occupation also required management, and with the approval of the Government, Allenby appointed a Chief Administrator for Palestine. He divided the country into four districts: Jerusalem, Jaffa, Majdal and Beersheba, each under a military governor. Under this administration the immediate needs of the people were provided for, seed grain and live–stock were imported and distributed, finance on easy terms was made available through the Army bankers, a stable currency was set up and postal services restored. Allenby insisted that while military administration was required it was to remain his responsibility.
Allenby in Picot's presence,severely reprimanded Ali Rid'a al-Rikabi, Chief Administrator of O.E.T.A. East, for the obstructive and even hostile attitude of his administration toward the French. “Nothing can be more harmful to Arab interests,”
Major General Arthur Wigram Money (June 1918 – June 1919)
Major General H.D. Watson (June 1919 – Dec. 1919)
Lieutenant-General Louis Bols (Dec. 1919 – July 1920)
OETA East
Rida al-Rikabi
During the last phase of Ottoman rule in the Middle East, al-Rikabi occupied prominent positions. After the Ottoman Turks departed from Arab lands in 1918, he formed the first cabinet in the history of Syria under Prince Faisal, third son Sharif Hussain of Mecca. Later, during two periods (1922 and 1924-1926) as Prime Minister in Jordan, al-Rikabi established Jordan’s administrative and financial system. He supported the Syrian revolt of 1925 against the French Mandate while he was Prime Minister of Jordan.
Ali Rida Pasha al-Rikabi came from a Damascene family whose ancestor had migrated from al-Rifa’i in southern Iraq during the seventeenth century. Al-Rikabi obtained his primary education at the Rushdiya Military School and completed Secondary school in Damascus also. His extraordinary performance at school earned him recommendations to be sent to the Military College in Istanbul, where he studied military engineering and graduated as the youngest in his class with the rank of Staff Major. He was later appointed military commander of the Ottoman army and deputy governor in Jerusalem. When the Ottoman Constitution was proclaimed in 1908 he was appointed Head of Special Branch in Istanbul. From there he was transferred to al-Medina al-Munawara where he was appointed Governor and Military Commander after being promoted to the rank of Major General. He then went on to Iraq as Military Commander in Baghdad and Governor of Basra.
On the eve of the First World the Ottoman Government consulted him, among other army commanders, about his opinion of Turkey’s participation in the war along the side of its German ally. Al-Rikabi advised the Ottoman Government to remain neutral in this European conflict because he was well aware of the poor condition of the Ottoman Army, its outdated weapons, insufficient ammunition and weak training. This advice led the ruling Triumvirate (Enver, Talat & Jamal), leaders of the Young Turks, to consider al-Rikabi a defeatist; so, he was dismissed into retirement from the army. Other officers and members of the Young Turks were enthusiastic in their drive to enter the war on the side of Germany, their friend and ally. When al-Rikabi returned to Damascus after his dismissal, Jamal Pasha appointed him Mayor of Damascus and Chief of Defences in order to utilise his knowledge and experience, while keeping him under close surveillance. Al-Rikabi preferred to accept these two positions to ward off suspicions, as he was in fact one of the founders of the first two secret organisations that planted the seeds of Arab Nationalism under Ottoman rule, namely ‘The Young Arab Society’ and ‘The Covenant Society’.
After the Arab Revolt (1916) and the Ottoman defeat by the British army, the Arab Army entered Damascus on October 1, 1918. Ali Rida al-Rikabi was appointed Military Governor and Chief of the Council of Directors (i.e. prime minister) of Syria under Prince Faisal son of King Hussain of Mecca. On 8 March 1920 the First Syrian Conference (representative body) announced Syria’s independence and proclaimed Faisal as King. Al-Rikabi became the first Prime Minister of Syria. From a base in Lebanon, the French Army under General Gouraud attacked the small Syrian volunteer force assembled in Maysaloon, defeated them, entered Damascus, proclaimed the French Mandate over Syria and Lebanon and forced King Faisal to leave Syria immediately.
When al-Rikabi left Jordan in 1926 he lived as a private citizen for a few years in Jerusalem and Haifa because the French banned him from entry to Syria for a few years before he could return to Damascus. In 1932 he coordinated efforts with King Faisal of Iraq, established the Royal Party and ran for President of Syria. The French heavily supported his rival and al-Rikabi lost the elections.
He spent the last ten years of his life in seclusion at home, under constant harassment from the French and their agents. His health soon began failing and he died a destitute man in May 1942.
