The Arab Revolt of 1936-1939 in Palestine: A Study Based on Oral Sources (ص 141)

غرض

عنوان

The Arab Revolt of 1936-1939 in Palestine: A Study Based on Oral Sources (ص 141)

المحتوى

Manpo nd Logisti
It is difficult to ascertain the exact number of rebels who fought in the
revolt during its three years, primarily because none of the rebel leaders,
whether general commanders, or regional commanders or even fasa’il
leaders, kept a record of the number of men under their command. More
importantly, however, the largest proportion of rebels were Faza’h, who
did not fight on a full-time basis. Nonetheless, according to Arab sources,
the number of rebels was estimated to have been between 9,000 and
10,000. Of these 3,000 were thought to have operated full-time in the
rural areas; 1,000 full-time in the towns; and 6,000, Faza’a auxiliaries in
the villages and among the bedouins.*’ Lt. General Haining who was
Commander of the British forces in Palestine in 1938, estimated the
number to have been between 1,000 to 1,500 full-time rebels, aided by a
large number (not stated) of volunteers from neighbouring areas.“ The
High Commissioner in Palestine estimated the number to have been
2,000 full-time fighters. 7 Other sources put the number at 5,000 divided
between full-time fighters and auxiliaries in 1936. By 1938, however, the
number had risen to 15,000.** These last estimates could be the closest to
the truth, especially since during 1938 almost all of the countryside and
most of the towns were actively involved in the revolt.
The rebels did not depend on sheer numbers alone in their guerrilla
warfare against the British forces. In fact two things they have employed
most effectively were their knowledge of the geography of the areas they
were operating within, and more importantly their use of the clan-family
networks of relations. As the vast majority of the rebels were peasants
45 Subhi Yassin, Harb al-Issabat Fi Filastin. Cairo, 1967,
46 pp.75-76
47 Appreciation of the rebels, by Lt. Gen. Haining, WO 32/4562
A letter from the High Commissioner in Palestine to the
48 Colonial Secretary, 28/9/1938, Co 733/372/75156/102
J. Marlowe, Rebe]lion_in Palestine. London, 1946, p.147

هو جزء من

The Arab Revolt of 1936-1939 in Palestine: A Study Based on Oral Sources

تاريخ

1990-10

المنشئ

Sonia Nimr

مجموعات العناصر

رسائل ماجستير ودكتوراه (صفحات)

كتب ٢ (صفحات)