Palestine: A Modern History (ص 16)

غرض

عنوان

Palestine: A Modern History (ص 16)

المحتوى

34 Crystallisation 1908-1914
together the hearts of the Arabs in general and the Palestinians in
particular to promote what is good for the country, and in
particular, resist Zionism by all our means, if not through finance
then through science, literature, and sincerity.
The founders of the Society planned to have headquarters in Jerusalem
and branches in all other Palestinian towns. In the same message
Qandus stated that the members of the Society were already lobbying
the members of Parliament. On 5 May another newspaper, Fata al-‘Arab
reported the existence of a society at al-Azhar called Jam ‘iat
Mugqawamat al Sahiyuniyyeen (The Society for Resisting the Zionists),
which had been founded by Palestinian students. On 19 July, al-Iqgdam
published a Manifesto of considerable length issued by the al-Azhar
Society at the end of which the aims of the Society -were stated:
(1) To oppose the Zionists by all possible means; by awakening
public opinion and uniting views on this point; and by propagating
the Society’s programme among all classes of the Arab nation in
general and in Syria and Palestine in particular.
(2) To found branches and societies in all the towns‘of Syria and
Palestine for this purpose.
(3) To endeavour to spread the spitit of unity among all the
elements of the inhabitants.
(4) To activate and support economic, commeftcial and agricul-
tural projects and enlighten the ideas of the farmers and peasants, so
that they may be able to protect themselves from the dangers of
Zionism. °
(5) To make representations before all those interested in this
question to halt the stream of Zionist immigration...
Also in July, reports were published in ha-Heridt of two societies
formed under the influence of Najib Nassar. The first, in Beirut, was
made up of a hundred young men from Nablus studying there and was
called al-Shabiba al-Nabulsiyya (The Youth of Nablus).™ Its aims were
to protect the rights of the Arabs and to agitate for the good of the
Arab people and for the good of Syria. The Second Association was a
mixed Muslim and Christian society in Haifa called al-Muntada al-Adabi
(The Literary Association), whose objectives were openly nationalist
and secretly anti-Zidnist.
In July 1914 Palestinian Arab women emerged on the political
scene when they founded Jam ‘iat al-Ihsan al-‘Am (Society for General
Crystallisation 1908-1914 35
-
Charity) and Jam‘iat Yaqzat al-Fatat al-‘Arabiyya (Society for the
” Awakening of the Arab Girl). Both societies were nationalist and °
advocated support for local industries 35
‘On 7 July al-Karmal published a General Summons to Palestinians
which was received from Jerusalem and presumably distributed by one
of the newly founded organisations in'that city. The summons reflected
the tense political atmosphere that prevailed in the country and
attempted to mobilise Palestinian public opinion as a preparation for
more drastic action:
... Do you wish to be slaves to the Zionists who have come to kick
you out of your country, claiming that it is theirs... Are you,
Muslims, Palestinians,.Syrians, Arabs, happy at this?
We shall die rather than let it happen.
The summons then urged the people to undertake the following action:
(1) Apply pressure on the Government to act in accordance with
its law stipulating that it is completely forbidden to sell miri (state)
lands to foreigners.
(2) Try to develop local (wataniyah) trade and industry. Do not
trade except with your own people, as they (the Zionists) do
because they do not trade with the Muslim and the Christian.
(3) Do not sell them your lands and use your power to prevent
the peasant from selling. Henceforth, scatter the land agents and
revile them.
4) Be concerned to stop, by all means you can, the stream of
migration from and to Palestine.
(5) Demand of your awgqaf to found Arab religious schools and
also other schools for crafts, agriculture and science.
(6) Trust in God and in yourselves; do not trust in the Govern-
ment because: it is occupied with other things. Strive that Arabic
will be the language of instruction in schools.
(7) You must implant in the hearts of the local population,
especially the youth, love of agricultural work, of trade and industry
-.. The dangers threatening your country are many the greatest of
all is ‘the Zionist danger’ so beware of it, strive, act and God will
favour your deeds.
At the end of the summons al-Karmal inserted its own advice to the.

تاريخ

1978

المنشئ

Abdul-Wahhab Kayyali

مجموعات العناصر

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