Palestine: A Modern History (ص 51)

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Palestine: A Modern History (ص 51)

المحتوى

104: Deadlock: 1920-1923
Jewish religious aspirations, but precluding any exclusive: polititat
advantages to them which must necessarily interfere with Arab
rights. 1s
Should their suggestions and: views be favourably received by the
Cabinet, the Delegation were ready to enter into negotiations with
HMG regarding:the details of the scheme which would subsequently, be
submitted to the people of Palestine.
After much hesitation®’ and as a result of discussion with Churchill,
the Delegation agreed to attend a meeting in the Colortial Office where
the Zionists would be present. In a telegram to» Samuel, Churchill
claimed that ‘the accepted aim of the meeting was ‘to discuss the
possibility of making working arrangements,** between the Delegation
and the Zionists. In contradistinctidn to that’ version, Weizmann wrote
Deedes that the Arabs ‘had come, not to, discuss practical details, but to
hear a statement of policy: as promised’. The .meeting was‘a failure.
‘They entrenched themselves behind this position and Mr Shuckbargh
was unable to dislodge them.®?
As the negotiations dragged on’in London, the Palestinians lost hope:
of obtaining any decisive gain through diplomatic efforts. In December
Weizmann passed reports, which he considered accurate, to Shuckburgh
on secret Arab political meetings’that took place in Palestine during
September 1921. These reports ‘revealed a number of facts about the
composition, aims and tactics of the anti-Zionist ‘Palestinian Arab’
national movement at that particular period. a
Political and Economic Factors
These reports covered meetings that took place in Hebron, Ramleh,
Loubie and Tulkarem where delegates from the neighbouring villages
and towns participated. The ‘meetings provided’ an opportunity for
coordination and cooperation between the national-leadership in the
cities and political activiststin the, rural areas. The reports:indicate that
the direct reason for convening the secret meetings of September 1921
was the realisation that the Arab Delegation in London stood no chance
of obtaining their demands and that necessary action should be taken in
Palestine. As thé: Arabs were too weak to confront the British troops in
Palestine, there seemed to be ‘only one effective method to stop
irhmigration afd to destroy the Balfour Declaration, and that is a
systematic series of attacks on the Jews in Palestine’. The neighbour-
ing nationalist committees in the towns had convened the respective
Deadlock: 1920-1923 105
. assemblies attended by 30 to 50 delegates to decide whether it would
be possible to prepare in the next three or four months a systematic
Series Of attacks upon the Jewish colonies in their vicinity. These
@. attacks were designed to frighten Jewish immigration, to convince the
: B British that the Arabs were stubborn and meant tostick to their demands
i f and to show the world that thé Palestinian demands were just, and ‘As a
m result of this the League of Nations ‘will not sign the Mandate’.*!
4 These reports revealed the basis of agitation and the grounds for
resentment against the Jéws. We have seen how the political factor was
@ considered impértant, but the economic factor, closely connected with
y the political one, was equally relevant:
We: fhust not allow a Mandate over us, as then all the rich Jews
would’ grab everything in their hands, our commerce will be
destroyed, we shall not be able to stand ‘competition, they have
many banks, and these banks assist’ orily Jews, they are looking for
” concessions which will ruin us.2? ,
: In another meeting a similar line of argument stood out, this time
‘ with greater emphasis of aspects which explain 'the tough opposition of
@ educated arid ‘semi-¢ducated Arab middle classes to Zionism, who
@ provided a high percentage of the leadership of the militant wing of the
'| @ ariti-Zionist Movement in Palestine:
|
We must get rid of Jewish domination over us. The Jews are
occupying important Government: posts all over the land, and the
Arabs are forced out everywhere. Fhere is a general attempt by the
Jewish intelligentsia to seize all the official Government positions.
We must not allow this to continue. If the Balfour Declaration will
be signed, we shall remain’slaves to the Jews for ever.”
me «At thie meeting at Loubie (hear Tiberias) the incompatibility of the
PBalfour Detlaration with Arab political rights was stressed, and the
Beeneration gap clearly spelt out as the old Sheikhs, i.e. elderly people,
re opposed to the younger generation’s violent tattics. ‘These old
eikhs do hot understand that'they are playing with out future, but
fortunately they“do not have much influence.’"™
F’ Although the- fellahin werd teported to be rather ‘tired of politics’,
tthe activists were suré of their participation in attacks on Jewish
pcolonies if they were assured that the Jews were not as well-armed as
Hthey say they Were.
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تاريخ

1978

المنشئ

Abdul-Wahhab Kayyali

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