 While Palestine had been under the rule of the Ottoman Empire from the early 16th century , direct imperial administrative rule was challenged by a series of tribal leaders who exhibited vast influence over local affairs between the 17th and 19th centuries . With the Ottoman Empire embroiled in the Crimean War , the power vacuum created in the area in the wake of Zahir al @-@ Umar 's rule in the Galilee ( 1730 – 1775 ) , Ahmad Pasha al @-@ Jazzar 's rule ( 1776 – 1804 ) , and Muhammad Ali 's rule ( 1831 – 1840 ) , was filled by Aqil . Aqil 's demise represented an end to the last local obstacle to Ottoman centralization in Palestine . 
