British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Supplement - Page 138

The Arab League of National Liberation.

This party was formed in Haifa at the beginning of 1944. Its main object, as stated in its notice of formation under the Ottoman Law of Societies, is to "work for the achievement of national independent rule in Palestine''. The secretary and leading member of the party is Mr. Emile Thouma, who is also the editor of its newspaper el Ittihad. It is organised on more western lines than the other parties and, while making some concessions to Arab nationalist feelings, is communist in its outlook. Its view of the Palestine problem is that the Arabs and Jews can solve it together by democratic methods, if relieved of the pressure of imperialism and its offspring Zionism. It classes the present governments of the Arab States as tools of imperialism along with the Zionist leaders. Its immediate demand is the evacuation of foreign armies from Palestine and the establishment of a free democratic state. It has consistently maintained that the Palestine problem should be submitted to the United Nations but has recently opposed its reference to the General Assembly, asking instead that it be submitted to the Security Council.

The Arab League of National Liberation has to some extent endeavoured to cooperate with the Jewish Palestine Communist Party but the need, on both sides, to humour the nationalism of their peoples has rendered this course difficult. Both parties sent delegations to the recent conference of communist parties of the British Empire in London and Mr. Emile Tbouma subsequently visited a number of European countries.

The Arab "League of National Liberation has close connections with the Arab Trades Union Congress and el Ittihad serves as the organ of both societies.

The Arab League of National Liberation is the only body which has publicly voiced dissatisfaction with the manner in which the Arab Higher Committee has come into being and demands the choice, by democratic methods, of a body representative of the Palestine Arabs.

The Popular Party.

In the latter half of 1945 there were reports of the formation of a new socialist party with more moderate left wing views than those of the Arab League of National Liberation. On the 2nd October, 1945, a declaration signed by ten of the party's founders, including Dr. Omar el Khalil, was published in the Arabic press stating that the party was still in the process of formation. Certain members of the Arab Offices and other independent politicians

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