"كتيّب سوريا (بما في ذلك فلسطين). لندن: إدارة استخبارات الأركان البحرية، يونيو ١٩١٩" [و‎‎٨] (٧٣٨/٢٠)

BOUNDARIES
11
Palestine .—In modern usage Palestine has no precise
meaning. No definition can be got merely by discussing or
attempting to follow the limits of the territory of the ancient
Hebrews. The expression is best taken to be equivalent to
Southern Syria and then defined in accordance with geographi
cal and political conditions. On this assumption only the
northern boundary presents any special difficulty. On the
west side of the Jordan the Litani (Nahr el-Qasimiyeh) from its
western bend to its mouth is a definite physical limit. This
boundary may be completed eastwards to the Jordan (Nahr
Hasbani) in several ways. For statistical purposes it is con
venient to adopt the northern limit of the kaza of the Merj
‘Ayun.
The amount of country east of the line of the Jordan that
may be reckoned to Palestine depends chiefly on the political
situation of Damascus in relation to Palestine. If Damascus
itself be associated with southern Syria the difficulty dis
appears. All that portion of middle Syria that lies to the east
of Jebel esh-Sharqi (Anti-Lebanon) may easily be separated
from northern Syria and associated with Palestine. If, on the
other hand, only a portion of the country along the Hejaz
railway line, south of Damascus, is to be united to Palestine,
a satisfactory line between the portion dependent on Damascus
and that associated with Palestine is not easily found. In
this handbook, merely for convenience of geographical treat
ment, a line close to Damascus has been chosen as the boundary
between northern and southern Syria. Starting from the
Nahr Hasbani, it skirts the S. and SE. slopes of Jebel esh •
Sheikh (Hermon) and follows the Wadi Zabirani and the Nahr
el-‘Awaj as far as Lake Hijaneh, into which the N. el-‘Awaj
flows.
Extent
The area of Syria, as defined by the latest Turkish admini
strative boundaries, has never been exactly measured. An
estimate based on the detailed figures of several authorities
gives 186,000 square kilometres, or about 72,000 square miles.