How did the French/European public react to General Gouraud's declaration of a "victory of the Cross over the Crescent" at the Tomb of Saladin during the Franco-Syrian War?

by thecaramel

According to "Kingmakers" by Meyer and Brysac, General Gouraud - upon defeating the forces of King Faisal, entered the Tomb of Saladin in Damascus and declared, "Awake, Saladin! We have returned!", as an obvious allusion to the Crusades.

Firstly, did this event even happen? And, secondly, how comfortable were the French and European publics with the Crusader allusion? And were Crusader-era aspirations common, or even encouraged, by various European foreign policies?

thecaramel

Slight follow-up:

Did Gouraud - or any subsequent French commander - and senior officers in Syria make pilgrimages (or visits in an official capacity) to Jerusalem to further cement this Crusader image?