Palestine: A Modern History (ص 71)

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عنوان

Palestine: A Modern History (ص 71)

المحتوى

148 = The Lull: 1923-1929
19 October, Hajj Amin despatched Jamal Husseini, Secretary of the
Supreme Muslim Council, to London to conduct political discussions at
the Colonial Office.
The Government and the Colonial Office proved that they were alive
to the importance of maintaining. Hajj Amin’s friendly attitude because
of his opposition to a direct, Arab-British confrontation in Palestine. In
deference to the Mufti, the Colonial, Secretary eliminated any mention
of, whether the 1929 outbreak ‘may be: regarded as having been pre-
concerted or due to organised action’®” in the final terms of reference
of the Shaw Commission of Enquiry.
By 12 October Chancellor felt compelled to conyey to Passfigld his
alarm at the evolution of Arab political attitudes following the disturb-
ances ‘of 1929:
The feeling of the Arabs against the Jews is still bitter. Boycott is
being enforced and instigators are working ,_clandestinely and
wet
propaganda conducted by Arab | leaders. I am informed ‘that this
feéling is not as previously confined to political circles, but also now
extended to lower classes of the population and to the villagers.°*
This process of* radicalisation posed a threat to the Arab Executive
and the traditional leadership: }
A full meeting of the Arab Executive had been summoned for 12th
October to consider the question of calling a general strike as a
protest against the Regulations and other alleged acts of partiality
and injustice. Younger Moslems declare {hat the strike will be held
whether the Executive approve it or not.® ~
Though successful in calling the strike off, ‘Awni’ Abdul Hadi told
Chancellor ,in the course of an interview on 14 October, that ‘the
Executive Committee in their actions are not always their own masters,
but have to yield to the pressure of their followers’. ® The Committee
“were following a policy to do all they could to win over public opinion |
and to avoid estrangement’. Nevertheless, the Executive Committee
assured Chancellor that ‘The principle that guided them was that there
should be no difference between them and the British Government’,”
as they believed they could not attain their rights otherwise.
b The Lull: 1923-1929 149
A State of Desperation
fThougit speakitig on behalf of the majority of the notables and the
ué propertied classes, the views expressed by the Executive Committee
Aswere not universally embraced by all the members of these classes.
Fs According to a Police Report some participants in a meeting of leading
ca ‘ Muslim and Christian merchants at the offices of the Arab Executive,
= spoke openly in favour of revolution:
That a general rising is the only means to save the country is
common talk among. all classes of the “population; also that the
people have become desperate and unmindful of the fisks; further
villagers are-stated to have become affected by political propaganda
and by the economic depression, influence by purchase of lands by
Jews and resultant ejection of Arab farmers.”
LNor was this militancy presumed -to be Of a transient character, as
q Chancellor was of the opinion-that it‘would not be possiblé to reduce
@ British troops below two battalion's evén after’the crisis was over.
3 A week later Chancellor teiteratéd'that: ‘the Moslem population
‘ appear to be approaching a state of'desperation on account of Govern-
‘rent’s failure to meet their wishes ‘in any way. This feeling is not
t confined to the leadership only but has spread to the lower classes and
. to the rural population’.”
whe,
Pe ’ Among other factors, the spread of ‘agitation against Zionism and
¥ Britislt policy in Palestine to the neighbouring countries, the smuggling
Gof arms to Paléstine and the possibility that Volunteers from Syria,
d ‘TrdnSjordan and Lebanon might join the Palestinians in any future
z ‘uprisings added to ‘the anxiétiés of British Authorities in Palestine.
' During the third week of October police sources‘reported that
} money was being collected, and 400 Arabs selected’ to form an armed
qs force. A week later Police Intelligence reported that ‘gangs of Criminals
a to attack Jews ‘and ‘British officials have been formed and will first
‘function in areas at Haifa ‘and Nablus.” Intelligence summary of the
& 19th October from Trans-Jotdan Frontier Force reported that
*
4’ experienced bandits are being consulted as to the best means of
ak carrying ‘out guerrilla warfare which may commence after the
* Commission ‘from London arrives and completes its report.
i. Committees are being formed in many pafts of Palestine for the
f —- purpose of helping'these bands.”*
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تاريخ

1978

المنشئ

Abdul-Wahhab Kayyali

مجموعات العناصر

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