by R. S. GORDON

; —JERUSALEM. S$ political divisions grow sharper among Palestine Arabs, a

_ vigorous young movement

On the left is beginning to set the pace for those dis- satisfied with the present Arab leadership. It is the National Liberation League, org- anized in Webruary 1944 and now a recognized part of the Arab national movement. ~

The Liberation League is the chief ‘organized center of oppo- sition to the policies of the Ja- mal Husseini leadership in the Arab Higher Committee. It is the only political party in the

Arab community which openly

- declares that the people of Pal-

- estine can find a just solution for their problems through Jew-

_ish-Arab collaboration. And _ it is in many respects the most interesting addition to the Arab political scene.

Apart from the New People’s party, which still has to make up its mind where it is going, the Liberation League alone is independent of the wealthy old families and bases itself on worker, peasant, professional and intellectual, The’ central point in its program is the de- mand for complete independ- ence for Palestine and the cre- ation of democratic government

participated in jointly by Arabs and Jews. In pursuit of that aim it.is pressing for submis- sion of the whole question of Palestine to the UN. _ Co-presidents of the League are young Emil Tuma, Haifa editor of the League’s organ, Al Ittahad, and Fead Nasar of the all-Arab city of Jaffa who is at the same time president of the Arab Trade Union Congress. Its leading members in Jerusalem include Muchlas Amur and Mu- fid Nashashibi, who are also ac- tive in the Arab _intellectual’s league. Nashashibi is a member of the leading Arab family of the same name. _, Al Ittahad has the largest cir- culation of any Arabic weekly in the country. :

e Tr leaders of the Liberation

League make no bones about the fact that they are Commun- ists. Neither does the League hide its general pro-Communist sympathies. As an accepted part

of the national movement, how- ever, it occupies a rather dif-

_ FRIDAY, MARCH 28, 1947

/

mee —_——

British soldiers armed with Bren guns patrol a crossroads leading to Jaffa and Allenby as the British government’s policy inflicts new miscries on long-suffering Jewish refugees and drives troubled Palestine from crisis to crisis.

The Arab League fights for unity

fernt position in the Arab com- munity than do the straight Communist parties in the West- ern countries,

Its program emphasizes the national character of the fight which it feels the Arabs are called upon to wage along with demands for reforms in indus- try and on the land. It has friends and collaborators in up- per class circles and often acts as a magnet for highly placed individuals who oppose the Ja- mal Husseini leadership but who certainly have little affinity for proletarian ideology.

The league does not go along with the racist and anti-Jewish propaganda of the top Arab leadership. Neither does it go along with the official Zionist viewpoint.

It believes that the central issue before both Jews and Arabs is to achieve full inde- pendence for Palestine. Once such independence is achieved, it declares, the erection of a democratic ‘state will ensure equality for the two communi- ties. It is ready to work with the Jews to that end, and €on- tends that the fundamental as- pirations of Jews and Arabs can be chieved in no other way.

@ EAGUE leaders are openly critical .6f British rule in Palestine. “The British,” they say, “have no legal or moral

standing here. The people of Palestine are as entitled to self- government as the people of Britain or any other country in Europe or America.”

The third clause in the lea- gue’s platform calls for “the building of relations between Palestine and Britain on the basis of equality and justice.” Th league interprets this to Mean equality between two sovereign powers, each acting in- dependently.

Palestine today, it claims, is nothing more nor less than a colony subjected to arbitrary

tule from London, with its in-—

habitants deprived of any right

to shape their own affairs.

The league deplores differences

between Jews and Arabs for which it blames foreign rule. It disagrees with the official Zion- ist leadership in ,that it be- lieves that an unyielding fight for independence and not immi- gration, is the chief issue of the moment.

Its stand brings it into con- flict, in varying degrees, with the British policy, the Jamal Husseini group which dominates the Arab Higher Committee, and the official line of the Jew- ish Agency. Its weekly organ, Al Ittahad, was suspendeg for a while by the authorities. |

e

N common with all the Arab

groups and important ele- ments in the Jewish commun- ity, the Liberation League flatly opposes any and all partition schemes. It condemns as a myth the idea that a Jewish or an Arab state can be created in a country where there are both Jews and Arabs. It considers it irrelevant at this even to talk of a bi-national state, although its whole atti- tude is based on recognition of

the fact that Palestine is -a Jewish-Arab country. It says in effect: “Let the

Jews and Arabs work together for independence.. Once inde- pendence is achieved, the people —Jews and Arabs—will frame their own constitution ang de- cide their own future.” It en- visages a future Palestine in which Jews and Arabs will live in amity and enjoy democratic national rights.

The league’s attitude on the question of immigration is 290 this way by its leaders:

“The issue of Jewish immigra- tion is being used to drive a further wedge between Jews and Arabs. We believe the position

of the displaced Jews in Europe ©

is an international problem that must be tackled internationally. If it is tackled that way we are

moment |

ready to support the idea that Palestine play its full share in solving the problem in accord- ance with its absorptive capa- city, and the democratic wishes of its peoples.”

IN .THE economic and social

field the league combats the remnants of ‘moral feudalism,’ ‘seeks the .betterment of living standards among workers and

i

4

A REMINDER!

ee

ee ee

| STRIKEBREAKERS

ARE STILL PRODUCING THE

SOUTHAM _

DAILY PROVINCE

The Only B.C. Newspaper Using

_ Strikebreakers

Support the Locked-out 1.T.U. Printers

peasants, calls for a national program of education and the —

‘rooting out of illiteracy and, the

introduction of full civil and political liberties. It strongly contends that no such rights and liberties exist under the — present regime.

Whatever one may think of — its program, there is no deny-- ing the fact that the National Liberation League is becoming an important factor in the Arab national movement and the gen- eral political life of the country. It cannot any longer be dismiss- €d as a Communist device. Ja- mal Husseini-at one time tried to fob it off with such words, — but it hasn’t worked.

The league draws its main support from the organized workers and peasants. The fact that it is really the only well- organized opposition group in

_ the national movement draws to

it important elements who. do not accept its radical social views but are ready to work with it in the national move- ment,

It was members of the league who were behind the launching ; in 1945, of the first independent Arab trade union movement, the Arab Trade Union Congress, The Congress has 20,000 members and the support of many more ~ workers who are not dues-pay- ing members. It supports the general policies of the Libera- tion League, giving the league an important base in the labor movement which overshadows

the influence of the nationalist elements.

‘Among the peasants the league’s influence is reflected in the Peasants’ Congress, which similarly accepts the league’s viewpoint. Among the _ intellec- tuals, the Arab Intellectuals’ League openly supports the Na- tional Liberation party, as do important elements among the Arab war veterans.

Thus the Liberation League is building strong positions among the basic sections of the Arab people, who at one time had no spokesmen but the parties of the two or three old families. Its leaders do not pretend that they have the majority of the Arabs behind them, but they can be expected to exert an import- ant influence on the future of

the national movement and of

Palestine.

2

sui Yodlé. a ee

I eo: ae

VANCOUVER TYPOGRAPHICAL

UNION, LOCAL 226