The Syrian National Congress, also called the Pan-Syrian Congress and General Syrian Congress (GSC), was convened in May 1919 in

Damascus Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...

Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...

, after the expulsion of the Ottomans from

. The mission of the Congress was to consider the future of "Syria", by which was meant the region of Syria: present-day Syria,

Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...

Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

Palestine Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...

, and

Jordan Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...

. The Congress also intended to present Arab views to the American King-Crane Commission of inquiry. The Congress was considered the first national parliament in the modern history of Syria. The Congress was attended by representatives from all parts of Greater Syria, including Lebanon and Palestine, and was headed by Hashim al-Atassi. Some participants showed support for King Faisal's demands, while others were beginning to question his willingness to make concessions to pro-Zionist groups. In its final report it pleaded that "there be no separation of the southern part of Syria, known as

, nor of the littoral western zone, which includes Lebanon, from the Syrian country." The King-Crane Commission recommended "the unity of Syria be preserved" in response. The Congress declared an independent Arab Kingdom of Syria on March 8, 1920, proclaiming:King's Complete History of the World War, William C. King, The History Associates, 1922, page 665
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The full and absolute independence of our country Syria, including Palestine, within her natural boundaries, based on a civil, representative form of government, protection of the rights of minorities, and rejection of the claims of the Zionists to Palestine as a national homeland or place of immigration for the Jews.

The new state intended to include Syria, Palestine, Lebanon and portions of northern Mesopotamia. King Faisal was declared the head of state. At the same time Prince Zeid, Faisal's brother, was declared regent of Mesopotamia. Hashim al-Atassi was named Prime Minister and Yusuf al-'Azma became Minister of War and Chief of Staff. The Congress continued during the short-lived life of the Kingdom until July 17, 1920, when the French gave Faisal an ultimatum to surrender or fight, and Faisal surrendered, bringing to an end the Kingdom and dissolving its institutions.

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Book of the Independence of Syria (ذكرى استقلال سوريا).jpg, Book of the Independence of Syria (ذكرى استقلال سوريا). Shows the declared borders of the Kingdom of Syria and states the date of the Declaration of Independence March 8, 1920.

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*The Congress resolutions from July 2, 1919 at: {{cite book , last= Hurewitz , first= J. C. , author-link= J. C. Hurewitz , title= Resolutions of the General Syrian Congress: Syria, July 2, 1919 , pages= 180–182 , work= Middle East and North Africa in World Politics: A Documentary Record , publisher= Yale University Press , location= New Haven , year= 1979 , via= Bronx Community College, Modern World History Reader , url= https://bcc-cuny.digication.com/MWHreader/Resolutions_of_the_General_Syrian_Congress_1919 , access-date= 14 August 2021 1919 conferences 1919 in Mandatory Syria Arab nationalism in Syria Arab nationalist organizations Palestinian nationalism People's Assembly of Syria Syrian nationalism

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