Palestine: A Modern History (ص 65)

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Palestine: A Modern History (ص 65)

المحتوى

136 The Lull: 1923-1929
two ‘factors that played a dominant role throughout Plumer’s tenure of .
office. The first was the sharp decline in Jewish immigration anid the
temporary inability of the Zionists to overcome the difficulties thereof.
In 1927 immigration was repfesertted 'by a ‘negative figure and in 1928
immigration and emigration! baldnéed one’another.
The second factor was the overriding predominance of factionalism,
the ascendancy of personal rivairiés and self-interest among the
Palestinian political notability in‘the period under discussion.
Political factionalism found its’ greatest scope in the fight for the
contrél of the Supreme Mustim Couffcil between the Husseinis and the
Nashashibis. The Council attracted universal attention and interest
amorig the Muslims of Palestirfé as it appealed fo their eagerness for
participdtion in the ‘process of self-government,*> which the Mandatory
government denied them to prevent obstruction to its Zionist policies.
‘In the heat of the electo¥a? battles for thie Council, the struggle-dgainst
Zionism was overshddowed by the determination to acquire power
within the Muslim community. As a result the contenders for'power
sought’ the favour “of the Governmerit, arid consequently the Arab
National-Movement throughout Palestine was céngiderably weakened.
Although! Hajj’ Amin’s grip on the Council was not seriously shaken, the
ferocity of the cafnpaign and the feluctance of the Government to
antagdnise him, must have réfrlforced his resistance to any call fora
direct confrontation with the British Government as a means of fighting
Zionism in the early thirties. “
Hajj Amin’s national leadership and his'direct appéal to the populace
threatened the position of the local notables and their intermediary
role. It was this factor that enabled the ‘Moderates’ to score their
succéss at the Municipal elections in 1927, where local vested interests
had thé uppéf hand. ’
The weakness Of the Arab position was conducive to-a Conciliatory
Arab attitudetowards the Governrtient. In July 1926, a group df Arab
pdlitidiahs from the two major partiés entered into negotiations with
Gne of the: miajor British officials in Paldstine with the purpose of
Wotking ‘out an arrangement thiat'would facilitate Arab participation in
the Government. These politicians pointed out that the basic source of
difficulty was the insertion of the Balfour Declaration in the Mandate.
The Palestinians were eager to, see that this international obligation did
not frustrate: thé’ Arab$”' civil, religious and political rights, including
their’ participation in the administrative and legislative Setup in the
country :,an elected Constitutional National Government. Furthermore,
they requested that the Mandate should include a statement to the
‘The Lull: 1923-1929 137
effect that HM Government did not consult ‘the Palestinians when it
accepted the Mandate and the Zionist clauses théreof.°
However, nothing came out of these overtures, and two years later
Plumer had no intention of raising the issue of a democratic parliament-
ary system before the end of his tour of duty in Palestine.?”
Despite’ the decline in Zionist activities betweeri 1925 and 1928 the
Zionist Organisation was anxious‘to Acquire more agricultural and State
larids for Jewish settlement. -Tié Colonial Secretary regarded the
Zionist ‘Organisation as having first claims on the lands suitable for
agriculture, and the Palestine Governmeht were active in procuring
these for them.”? Another bone of Gontention between Arabs and
Jews, which came to the fore ont® more-towards the end of 1927, was
Jewish labour’s organised opposition to the employment of Atab
workers in Jewish-owned enterprises. An attempt to prevent Arab
workmen from ptoceeding to the groves at Petah-Tikvah to pick
oranges bought by Arab merchantté“led to clashes and facial conflict 2?
A religious grievance was added to the political ‘and economic ones,
when the International Missionary Council held its first Conference at
Jerusalem during the first two weeks of April, 1928. Protests from
various districts and bodies were lodgéli against the Missionary Confer-
ence, expressing fear of ‘Evangelisin# Moslems‘on a large scale’. In Gaza
the police fired at the excited’ crowd8 wéunding three persons, and ‘all
telephonic and telegraphic commiinications’ with’Gaza were cut off to
prevent repercussion in Jerusalem and elsewhe'e during the Nebi Musa
processions’.°
It was not until June 1928, that the Seventh Palestine Arab Congress
was convened. The flagging (Arab) Executive Committee succumbed to
préssure brought to bear by other Political forcés to make it an all-
ze. embracing hodge- podge of a Cénference comprising ‘every shade of”
ee opinion and interest in the country. It was the weakestéf all Congresses
and came near to passing a resolution demanding a National Govérnment
under ‘the existing Mandate system, had it not been forthe efforts of a
@ few members who advocated the appealing alternative of adopting the
resolutiong of all previous Congresses. The compdsition of the Congress
was inevitably réfléctéd in the Executive Corhmittee which Had ‘to bé
enlarged to forty-eight members in order to accommodate the various
groups, districts and interests represented in the Congress. Disunity and
Personal rivalries reduced the new*Executive Committee to coniplete
impotence.
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تاريخ

1978

المنشئ

Abdul-Wahhab Kayyali

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