Palestine: A Modern History (ص 83)

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عنوان

Palestine: A Modern History (ص 83)

المحتوى

174 Prelude to Revolution: 1930-1935 y
. (
reimposed,' and the Arabic press ih protest Ueclirfed to publish. The
general strike was maintained until 2 November, when the Arab
Executive called off the strike.
tt
A ‘Genuine National Feeling
Wauchope did not hesitate-to inform Cunliffe-Lister that: the disturb-
ances of October 1933 were ‘anti-British ‘and anti-Government in
character...No Jews were molested’.6® The High Commissioner
attributed: the immediate cause of ‘the rooting to an overpowering
desire to protest against Jewish immigration:
It would be a mistake however to imagine that sole cause of riot was
Jewish National: Home Immigration. A genuine fiational feeling is
growing .constantly more powerful in Palestine and more bitter
against British Government and morcover* geflected in other
parts of Arab world.®
4 re
The reaction of the eneighbouring Arab countries to the 1933
demonstrations was strikingly strong. Palestine was: increasingly
-becoming the focal point of Arab nationalist agitation and concern.”
Following the disturbances, persistent Palestinian Arab allegations of
police brutality compelled Wauchope to. appoint a Gomtmission of
Enquiry. The Murison-Trusted Commissiort of Enquiry confined them-
selves to the: narration ‘of the facts and the developments that took
place, during the week of disturbances ins thé major towns of Palestine.
According to their report one policeman and twenty-six Arab citizens
were killed while 56 policemen and. 187: Arabs weré.injured.4
The events of: 1933 demonstrated a growing purposefulness among
the Arabs of*Palestine.vAn unprecedented week of strikes and clashes
with Government ‘forces throughout Palestine revealed’ the depth of
Arab feelings against the JNH policy. Furthermore, the disturbances
revealed that the Arabs were disposed, towards the userof violence” to
deflect the Mandatory from its'‘policy, ahd that the* real aim of ‘the
Palestinians was national independence.
Britain’s Imperial Interests
The British Government, too, viewed the deteriorating situation with
concern. British Imperial interests in Palestine weré no.longer confined
to the defence of the Suez Canal. The Mosul-Haifa pipeline, the Haifa
harbour and the Imperial Airways air route to India’via Gaza, rendered
Palestine an essential link in the Imperial: strategy and. the Empire’s
| Prelude to Revolution: 1930-1935, \ 175
system of communication.”
However, rebelliousness of the Arabs tended to strengthen the, bonds
of alliance and cooperation between the Zionists and, the British. The
| Government were,inclined to react favourably to the Zionists’ demands
‘to, postpone the question of a Legislative Council indefinitely}, In
' return Ben Gurion, the influential Zionist, Jeader, assured. Wauchope
that
. the Jews wanted Palestine, to become a fraction of the British
Empire; there alone safety lay.”
Explosive as the situation was, Wauchope was not as alarmed as
| might have been expected for.three main reasons:
First, because their character. was .purely political; second begayse
the fellaheen did not join in the riots; and third, because the leaders
showed no powers of organization. 76 '
Wauchope rightly assessed that Hajj. Amin was the only Palestinian
' force capable of altering the situation. This safety valve was under
- contra] owing
To the agreement government made last year with the Supreme
Moslem Council and to my own (at present) most happy relations
with the Mufti and other members of the Supreme Moslem
Council.” &
iv
¥
The agreement in question was ,a provisional gne, whereby
.the. Government, conceded to the Supreme Muslim Cougcil
- complete control over wagf funds, as a reward for the Mufti in
exercising ‘his great authority over the fellahin to stop them heeding
the extremists’.”> When Hajj Amin succeeded in restraining Arab
demonstrations against British policies in mid-January 1934, tthe
‘grateful Colonial.Secretary approyed a permanent agreement. with the
, Mufti over the control of. waq f finances.”
It was a remarkable feat on Hajj Amin’s part to achjeve ascendency
- within, the national movement, in Palestine while maintaining friendly
»relations with the High Commissioner and a conciliatory attitude
‘towards the British at a time when the contradiction ‘between the two
| forces was becoming increasingly, sharp. This could only be explained in
| the light of the situation obtaining inside the Arab camp at that period.
+
pees atl

تاريخ

1978

المنشئ

Abdul-Wahhab Kayyali

مجموعات العناصر

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