Актуальные вопросы тюркологических исследований

101 XХXIII–XXXIV Кононовские чтения while the other part was sheltered by the Egyptian Circassians — the descen- dants of the Burji Mamluks. All of the abovementioned territories (including Egypt which was subject to the Sublime Porte if only formally) were part of the Ottoman Empire until the First World War. The First World War put an end to the “sick man of Europe” 1 . The Sykes- Picot Agreement 2 signed during the war between Great Britain and France, already implied the partition of the Ottoman territories. Later Russia and then Italy joined the agreement. However, after the October Revolution, the Soviet government abandoned all its claims in the Middle East region and even pub- lished the text of the treaty. According to the agreement, France acquired the territories of Western Syria, Lebanon, Cilicia and Southeast Anatolia. Great Britain received Southern and Central Iraq with the Palestinian ports of Haifa and Acre (Akka). The rest of Palestine was to be under international control. In addition, two special areas were to be established: East Syria and The Mosul Vilayet under French control as well as Oultrejordain and a part of the Baghdad Vilayet under British control [10: 341]. The Armistice of Mudros, concluded on 30 October 1918, brought the war between the Entente and the Ottoman Empire to an end and virtually legalized the occupation of the territories of the Sublime Porte by the great powers of Europe [7: 113]. In accordance with the decisions of the San Remo conference (1920) Iraq and Palestine (including the territory of modern Jordan) became subject to Great Britain, and the territory of modern Syria and Lebanon to France. On the London conference in 1922 The Council of the League of Nations established mandates for Lebanon, Palestine and Syria [11:137]. Thus, due to the out- come of the First World War, the Circassian community, which until then had lived dispersedly, but still within the framework of one state — the Ottoman Empire — was now divided by the borders of the new states. Circassians of Israel are Sunni Muslims. In Israel, there are about 4,000 Circassians 3 , who live quite compactly in two settlements: Kfar Kama and Rehaniya. Circassians were resettled to Palestine by the Ottoman govern- ment in the late 60s. XIX century. The village of Kfar Kama was founded by Circassian immigrants back in the Ottoman period in the history of Palestine 1 A label given to the Ottoman Empire in in the mid-19 th century, it was supposedly first put into use by Nicholas I of Russia during the Crimean War (1853–1856). 2 Named after the British and French diplomats, Mark Sykes and François Georges-Picot accordingly. 3 According to some reports, the number of Circassians in the state of Israel is 5,000; according to some untrustworthy sources — 30,000 people.