 The original Bedouin Arabs in Syria and Palestine had simple culinary traditions primarily based on the use of rice, lamb and yogurt, as well as dates.The cuisine of the Ottoman Empire, which incorporated Palestine as one of its provinces between 1512 and 1514, was partially made up of what had become by then a rich Arab cuisine.After the Crimean War, many foreign communities (namely the Bosnians, Greeks, French and Italians) began settling in the area; Jerusalem, Jaffa and Bethlehem were the most popular destinations for these groups.