Palestine: A Modern History (ص 62)

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Palestine: A Modern History (ص 62)

المحتوى

5 THE LULL: 1923-1929
Between 1924 and 1938 the Palestinian political scene witnessed a
unique peridd of stagnation and paralysis. There were many factors
accounting for this lull in the Palestinian Arab struggle against Zionism
and the British Mandate, the most important of which was the final
settlement of the Mandate in the League and the decline of the fortunes
of the Jewish National Home in Palestine.
It-should not, nevertheless, be assumed that this period was entirely
uneventful. In any case it is worthwhile examining the actions and
interactions of the Palestinian political forces in a period of political
decline.
During October 1923, the Executive Committee of the Palestine
Arab Congress held two important meetings in the course of which a
clear political line emerged. At the first, which took place on 2
October, the proceedings were taken up by a report on the activities of
the Delegation whilst in London and the results obtained thereby.’ Far
from resorting to a revolutionary or extra legal course of action now
that the Mandate was brought into full operation Musa Kazem
suggested that the Delegation should return to London when
Parliament next reassembled.
The second meeting took place on the 26 October, at which Hajj
Amin and Muhammad ‘Ali at-Taher, secretary of the Palestine Commit-
tee in Egypt, were present. At-Taher declared himself in favour ofa
revolt as the only means of attaining Palestinian demands. Musa Kazem
mentioned that one of the British supporters of the Arab cause in
England had also advised this course: ‘Musa Kazim Pasha, however,
deprecatéd any action at the present juncture, being satisfied with the
progress made by the Arab cause’.? ,
The Palestine Arab Executive adhered to their policy of
non-cooperation with the Government and rejected an offer to establish
dn Arab Agency in Palestine Which was to occupy a position analogous
to that accorded to the Jewish Agency under Article 4 of the Mandate.
The Executive Committee derived very little credit or prestige from its
rejection since ‘public opinion was so unanimous against the project’?
The political impasse which blocked the way of the Executive
Committee strengthened the position of the increasingly active
advocates of the: (Moderate) National Party. The first Congress of. the
130
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The Lull: 1923-1929 131
National Party was held in Jerusalern om 9 and 10 November and was
attended by a number of notabies:led by ‘Aref Dajani, who was
notoriously opposed.to the Muslim Christian Association. There were
alsq a number of villagers present mainly frorh the Ramallah sub-
' q district. Sheikh Suleiman al-Taji al-Farouki was elected President and a
Central Executive of eight members with a supervising Committee of
twenty persons, appointed. The High Commissioner reported ‘that their
4 declared ‘pélicy ‘gave great disappointment to the Jews who had hoped
f for something approaching an acceptance of the'Balfour Declaration’.*
The calibre of the Central Executive of the National Party was
4 unimpressive and politically timid. A number of*them were mayors,
« e.g? Ragheb Nashashibi, and therefore-ostensibly ‘non-political’:
The new party was vehemently attacked by -the supporters of the
Arab Executive and both parties were soon involved in mutual
#: cotidemnation in the press. “
Furthermore, the Governor of\Samaria reported during the same
' month ‘the foundation of a new party'‘mainly composed of villagers
with’a program véry‘ similar to that of-the National Party.
In Jaffa, an attempt to incite the people against the Government in
tlie wake of the municipality’s acceptance of thte Rutenberg:Scheme,
was’ unsuccessful. This brought the municipality (dominated by
notables arid merchants) strongly onithe side of the Government, and
thé temporary collapse of the Mustim-Christian Society in Jaffa.
Towards the end of December the Gayernor of Samaria reported
that the political atmosphere had become less tense in the last few
months, and that the people were" losing confidence in their leaders:
‘The leaders in consequence, feeling that their power has decreased, are
inclined tobe much more friendly with ‘the Government’.>
Simultaneous with the decline of the prestige of the leadership of
the Palestinian National‘ Movement was the emergence of the Supreme
Muslim Council as a political force. The visit of King Hussein to
Amman preoccupied the Palestinian political leadership’ as'it touched
on two important issues: the Caliphate and the proposed accord
between. Hussein and the British: known asthe Anglo-Arab Treaty. The
Palestinians urged the Arab King to reject the Balfour Declaration and
to veto Jewish immigration. They also asked that he should confirm the
rejection of the mandatory governments, to.demand the independénce
of Syria, Palestine and the.other Arab countries and to endeavour to
realise Arab unity.® ‘4
King Hussein’s visit, however, failed to introduce a greater measure
4; of cohesion among the ‘vatious Arab political forces in Palestine. A new
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تاريخ

1978

المنشئ

Abdul-Wahhab Kayyali

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