Why did Palestine experience political unrest under Abbasid rule?

Palestine experienced significant political unrest under Abbasid rule due to several interconnected factors:

• Tribal Rivalries: Unlike the preceding Umayyad dynasty, which relied on the Yemeni (South Arabian) tribes, the Abbasids favored the Qays (North Arabian) tribes. This shift intensified long-standing enmity between the two groups, making tribal conflict a central political issue in the region.1
• Pro-Umayyad Sentiment: Many Palestinians remained loyal to the fallen Umayyad dynasty. This led to frequent uprisings, most notably in 840/841, when a Yemenite named Abū Ḥarb led a large-scale peasant insurrection against the Abbasids, who were widely viewed as hated rulers.1
• Religious and Sectarian Challenges: The Abbasids faced opposition from groups whose expectations they had disappointed, including the Shiʿah. Additionally, the Qarmatians, an Ismāʿīlī Shīʿī sect, launched destructive insurrections in the region during the early 10th century.12
• Internal Decay: By the late 9th century, the Abbasid Empire began to suffer from internal fragmentation, leading to the rise of independent dynasties like the Ṭūlūnids and Ikhshīdids, which further destabilized central authority in Palestine.1