Palestine: A Modern History (ص 72)

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عنوان

Palestine: A Modern History (ص 72)

المحتوى

150 The Lull: 1923-1929 * “
The new level of political activism was:conducive to the emergence
of students” as a political element, and to the-birth of the Palestine
Arab Women’s Congress which was held on 26 October 1929. The
latter was attended by over 200 delegates, both Muslim and Christian
from various parts of Palestine. The participants were members of the
leading Palestinian families, the most prominent of whom were wives of _
Palestinian political leaders. The wife of Musa Kazem was elected.to the
Chair and
many speakers considered the Mandatory Power, as represented by
the Palestine Administration, to be solely responsible for all that
took place, and a national movement for consolidated action on the
part of all women’s organizations was earnestly urged. 7?
The resolutions of the Congress rejected the Balfour Declaration and
Zionist immigration, called for the establishment of a National Govern-
ment responsible before a Representative Council, and urged the
development of Nationa] Industries.
A: day later a ‘General Assembly of Arab- Congress’ called -by, the
Arab Executive was held at Jerusalem, Delegates to the Assembly
included Beduin Sheikhs from all parts of Palestine and some represent-
atives from Transjordan. According to Police reports,
i
Great enthusiasm and determination to ‘save the country’ even at
the cost of their lives was manifested. Judging from the, attitude of
the Assembly it was apparent that the ,people were in a state of
extreme excitement and approximated to’ a_ revolutionary
disposition. It is said that the Arabs now await the ‘decision’ of the
commission, and if these are unsatisfactory the only course open to
them is a genesal.uprising.”®
A General strike was called and observed on the Balfour anniversary.
The, participation of Trans-Jordanians in the, Assembly indicated the
state of feeling in the adjacent Arab, countries. According to a report by
the British Resident in “Amman,
Transjordan was kept out of the-riots in August because. . .a plan of
action had not been prepared. Should a further outburst against the
Jews be arranged, I fear the country might not:behave so well.”
*y
An intelligence report dated 13 November stated that a secret
t The-Lull: 1923-1929 151
; Committee called the Boycott Committee has been formed for
- terrorist purposes with a view to the assassination of persons considered
@ to be acting against Arab nationalist interests.
These threats were reported to have led to the drying up of the Arab
working for the Zionist Intelligence was assassinated, and a warning was
¥ sent to a British Judge. A later report tended to shed some doubt on
& the links between the Executive Committee and the Boycott
‘ Committee as eleven of the twenty-four persons of the latter were
reported to be members of the Palestinian Communist Party.®!
The period between 1923 and 1929 which began with a whimper
ended with a bang as Arab opposition to the Anglo-Zionist partner-
ship struck deeper popular roots with a disposition towards waging an
# armed struggle as a means of forcing 4 change in British pro-Zionist
% policies in Palestine. From now onwards the Arab struggle against
* Zionism involved a direct confrontation between the Palestinian Arabs
'» and the Mandatory Government.
~ Mention should be rade of Zionist attitudes towards the prospect of
« bringing about an Arab-Jewish understanding i in 1929. One month after
% the August outbreak Weizmann told one of the members of the Middle
£ East Department that
Zionists and the Arabs, the latter not necessarily Palestinian Arabs,
with the idea of getting both sides to come to a concordat :®?
a
‘
¢
‘
t
i
‘ The Government should try and get a conference between the
; ,A month later H. St. John Philby, one of the major British officials
#. in, the East in the early twenties, paid a visit to Jerusalem and,Damascus
. & withrthe intention of drawing up the ‘Basis-of an Arab-Jewish under-
‘a standing in Palestine’ and found the Arab leaders moderate and
reasonable.®
When Dr‘Judah Magnes, head of the Hebrew University, said in a
speech at the reopening of the University that it was necessary for Jews
and Arabs to find ways of living and warking together he was heckled
iby the students, and the Jewish press attacked both him and the Brith
pee
#, Shalom Organisation. The Administrative Committee of the American
§ Jewish, Committee expressed its ‘feeling of outrage over Dr Magnes’s
@ uttérances and his irresponsibility in breaking the united Jewish
# front.¥
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تاريخ

1978

المنشئ

Abdul-Wahhab Kayyali

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