The Reform Party (or Hizb-al-Islah) was established by Husayn al-Khalidi in Palestine on 23 June 1935. At the time of the party's formation, al-Khalidi was mayor of Jerusalem. It did not have a large following outside Jerusalem but its views were widely published in the Arab press. Its program called for freedom for Palestine, self-government, welfare for farmers and workers, encouragement of education and opposition to a Jewish national home.