
Translator: Davood Salehan
Source: rasekhoon.net
Source: rasekhoon.net
Taking a look at the political situation of Palestine in the last days of the war
Following the insistence of the Supreme Arabic, the Arab League Political Committee in July 8, 1948, it means in throe of the war, agreed with the Palestinian civilian interim government formation. But because of the special circumstances of the war, this government couldn’t do anything. On September 22, the members of the mentioned government held a meeting in Gaza City and named his newly-formed government as "Palestinian common state". Since the holding general election in Palestine, in those circumstances, was difficultو Arabic Supreme Board decided to conclude a congress for establishing the Palestinian National Council. The Palestinian Authority Chairman, Ahmed Helmy sent invitations for attending in this congress to Personalities and tribal chiefs, tribal trustees and so on. The Congress on September 30 with the participation of 85 characters that Haj Amin al-Husseini was an advance in them, started in Gaza City. The opening days of the Congress were like a feast and gala. Gaza's streets were decorated with Palestinian flags. In the windscreen of Haj Amin and his companions, Mujahidin forces in armored vehicles were moving and people by chanting "Long Live Palestine" and expressing with feelings, encouraged their leaders to continue the jihad. In the first meeting, the Mufti was elected to preside over the meetings of Congress.
In the second day, Haj Amin said the Friday prayer with mass-worshipers who had filled the streets around the mosque with their presence at the Grand Mosque "Al-Omari". Attendees of Congress at the end of their session, recognized the borders of Palestine in 1948 and chose Jerusalem as the capital.They also by emphasizing on the maintenance of national sovereignty, released the first Palestinian National Charter.
The kings of Jordan strongly opposed with signing the National Congress in Gaza, prevented most invitees from attending in congressional meetings, and in a passive reaction, held a similar Congress in Amman. Amman Congress, with about thousands of supporters of King Abdullah and the government officials who were reluctant to attend meetings of Congress, began its work and while passing multiple resolutions, they were willing to hold a widespread congress for swearing allegiance of Palestinians to King Abdullah as the Kings of Palestine. In the first of December in 1948, the widespread congress in Jericho fulfilled the Allegiance to King Abdullah.
The Egyptian government's position towards the efforts of Haj Amin to form an independent state in Palestine was in the same stand of Jordan position. Pasha Naghrashy government considered areas that had been seized in Gaza following the withdrawal of English forces as vacuum of authority. Therefore in 27 May 1948 selected a person as the General daily Gaza Deputy Governor and sent him to Gaze to carry out undertaken missions by helping a number of border police officers and local staffs.
After holding the first National Congress and announcing the formation of Palestinian government, Egyptian border guards commander Maj. Gen. Hussein Seri Amer, entered Gaza in 15/10/1948 and met Haj Amin and gave him the message of Mahmoud Fahmi Neghrashi-Egyptian Prime Minister. Haj Amin left Gaze because of the need to organizing the Palestinian militants and apologized but after telephone conversations with Neghrashi and General Mohammad Heydari-Minister of war and their insistence for going out of Mufti from town, he accepted the Egyptian authorities order because of prevention of armed conflict between Palestinian militants and the army of Egypt.
Hussein Siri just gave Mufti just less than one hour and took him to Cairo among tight security measures. In the capital of Egypt more than 70 Egyptian soldiers day and night, surrounded Mufti house.
After the end of hostilities between Egypt and Israel and signing a permanent truce (on 24/2/1949), Mufti demanded to return to Gaza but this request was rejected. Also the traveling of Mufti and the members of Arabic Supreme staff to the Arabic countries for visiting refugee camps were prevented.
Haj Amin notified with great sadness of this situation and said:
“Enemies prevent us from entering to our country and over the years displaced us and prevent us from the gift of living in ourselves country».
Although the Arab League Congress did not welcome Jericho and dropped Jordan from union membership, but soon the Arab countries have evicted the case and finally the Arab League at 12 / 6/1950 accepted the status quo. So the West Bank joined the Jordan and the Gaza Strip was given to Egypt.
Physical activity of Palestinian government through its office in Egypt continued.This office is going to handle issues such as the issuance of passports for Gaza people and helping the student for registering in the universities and the Prime Minister of the Government participated in the meetings of the Arab League as the representative of the Palestine. At 29 / 6/1963 Prime Minister Ahmed Helmy died and As a result, the seats of Palestinian representative in the Arab League remained empty. This position was reached to Amad Shaghiri that later with supporting of Naser, he established the Palestine Liberation Organization.
At this time, the Arabic countries spared no effort to disintegrate the Mujahedeen units and by imposing severe a financial restriction against the Palestinian- Which was funded mainly by Arab League- forced the government to leave all mujahidin forces. So The units 'holy war', i.e. the emerging Palestinian military phenomenon that could be considered as military tools Palestinian government fell apart.
In this context, Palestinian political life re-established after the failure of 1984 and after the forced resignation of Mufti, the Muslim Brotherhood and the Communist Party remained in Palestinian political scene.
Muslim Brotherhood in the Palestinian political scene (1948- 67)
In the beginning of the fifties, the Muslim Brotherhood as the main political force in the political scene of Palestine was raised. On the other hand the presence of Communists in the scene was very pale. The reason should be sought in the following facts:
1- Continuing the dependence and attachment of Palestinian forces to Islam during the rule of patronage despite the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. In fact, the occupation of Palestine by the British and Zionist aggression to the Holy Land, in Palestinian Muslim public opinion was considered as a challenge against the history and existence of the Nation of Islam.
2- The active participation and a significant presencein the 1948 war and their courage in this unequal battle was not hidden from the eyes of the Palestinians and among Palestinians played a significant role in strengthening the position of the Muslim people.
3- From the other hand famous devotion to the Soviet Communists and their hostility to religion were distributed among the people. It isn’t secret that Soviet Jewish immigration to Palestine from Syria and Lebanon after communist revolutionin 1917 improves the country's image in the minds of the Palestinian people face anti-Islamic.
4- Communists at that time and even during some next decades defended their position against the resolution in favor of the partition of Palestine and expressed their opposition to the war against the Zionist gangs in the first Palestinian war by obstinacy and tenacity. Palestinian masses never disliked this position.
At the beginning of the fifties eight bases Brotherhood in the Gaza strip was established. The bases were: office, Rmal, Shejaiya (all three in Gaza), Nasir, Bridge, Dyralblh, Khan Yunis and Rafah. All these bases were acted under the administrative office, the highest authority Muslim organization in the Gaza Strip. Brotherhood, along the traditional advertising activities, did some hidden efforts to collect light weapons and train its application. According to the prevention of Egyptian government from returning Haj Amin to Gaza strip and by transferring the seat of government from Gaza to Cairo, brotherhood raised height as the core of political activities. But soon by the rise of brotherhoods disagreement and the new government came to power by Gamal Abdel Nasser in Egypt, It is time that the Brotherhood will face with their first political test. Because the second decree of dissolution of brotherhood was issued on January 14, 1954 and naturally existence of the Brotherhood in Gaza faced with question! So it caused to close the population bases in this area.
In such circumstances, the Brotherhood went toward underground work and at the same time the immigration of intellectual brotherhood to the out of Gaza strip began. Especially some elements for their living expenses and help and escape from political pressures and the pursuit of security forces to the Persian Gulf to the Islamic movement, moved.
At the same time of these changes, America and Egypt talks on the proposed transfer of Palestinian refugees from their camp in the Gaza Strip to new areas in Sinai, was close to the final stages. The news about the possible agreement between the two countries had leaked so the Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip became worried. No doubt when the Palestinians considered the plan to resettle refugees in the Sinai desert as a step towards purification Palestinian issue, were self-righteous.
It’s worth mentioning that the position of the revolutionary government in Egypt against the Palestinian issue was still in doubt. Moreover, the supreme leader's remarks about the "State of Israel" were clearly a gentle tone. Newly established government Cairo attacked with all political forces in the Gaza Strip either traditional or untraditional.
At this stage, brotherhood military measures started as devoted and destruction action against installation and communication tools. One of the Arab Writers recalls that Mr. Khalil al-Wazir (aka "Abu Jihad", which recently was assassinated in Tunisia by Israeli forces) was the power of all military activities. Brotherhood of handling such attacks aimed to deal with purification plans, especially resettlement program for refugees in Sina.
On the other hand, the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt had hoped that doing operations against Israel finally created problems in the government of Gamal Abdel Nasser in the way of compromise. Eventually the Brotherhood's attacks brought the desired result. Because any operation was done by brotherhood, Israelis interacted by raiding to military positions and civilian installations in Gaza strip. Finally Israelis in a brutal ambush killed a large number of Egyptian soldiers and destroyed building of the Military Police station in Gaza Strip and detonated pumping and water splitting devices. It blew up the situation and provoked deep anger of Palestinians. The widespread anger expressed in protests that Gamal Abdel Nasser made simultaneously to the negligence and accused of treason and chanted the slogan dismantling of the refugee resettlement program. Egyptian governor of Gaza tried in vain to calm and stopped protests and acts of violence around the Gaza Strip after the Israeli attack but controlling the situation went beyond his hand.
In the absence of the Governor, the National Committee composed of representatives of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Communists and nationalist elements were formed and practically ruled the region until 10/3/1955.On this date the governor announced his agreement to the demands raised by the National Committee These demands was:
1-Rejection and halt the Palestinian refugee resettlement program in northwestern Sinai
2-Strengthening border forces and border security and forming the Palestine Liberation army
3-Establishing democratic freedoms
4-Ensuring the no suit of the participants in the protests