Gramsci
Well-Known Member
On the Palestinian revolt in the 1930s.
What I get is that from the start the weaknesses of opposition to Zionism in the 1930s revolt.
The Zionists had a much more coherent leadership. Clear about what they wanted. And eager to help the British army and authorities. Partly out of their own self interest. Unlike Palestinians who were riven with class and other rivalries - local and personal and in contrast local Zionists , despite their differences had an end it sight.
Another thing was the way local elites outside Palestine undermined the revolt. Whilst some were for a overall pan Arabism following the collapse of Ottoman Empire other looked to working with imperial powers for their own ends.
Some of these issues can be seen today. With the less than positive way ruling elites in countries around Palestine support it.
The people in the Middle East are another matter. The Arab street has always opposed Zionism.
The tragedy of the revolt is that the ordinary people were sympathetic to it and let down by the Palestinian and other Arab elites. A continuing issue. They in the Arab revolt in Palestine where the ones that lost out most. Particularly in 48. There best leaders and fighters killed.
During the Nakba in 48 the Zionist paramilitaries as they went village to village used the intelligence they had built up to separate the men they knew had fought in the revolt in 1930s. They were summarily executed on the spot before the rest of a village was expelled.
As well as getting military training their intelligence network was respected by the British. One thing that comes across in the book { and in some other books I've read} is that Zionists saw intelligence on the land they wanted and knowing the terrain so to speak as important. Ilan Pappe points to the detailed knowledge Zionists had built up over the years as part of how they successfully did the Nakba.
British Army were not always so keen to have armed paramilitaries in frontline. Keeping Jewish people to guard important infrastructure. Partly think this came from British view that suppression of revolts of people was their business. That they were neither pro Arab or pro Jew.
What I get is that from the start the weaknesses of opposition to Zionism in the 1930s revolt.
The Zionists had a much more coherent leadership. Clear about what they wanted. And eager to help the British army and authorities. Partly out of their own self interest. Unlike Palestinians who were riven with class and other rivalries - local and personal and in contrast local Zionists , despite their differences had an end it sight.
Another thing was the way local elites outside Palestine undermined the revolt. Whilst some were for a overall pan Arabism following the collapse of Ottoman Empire other looked to working with imperial powers for their own ends.
Some of these issues can be seen today. With the less than positive way ruling elites in countries around Palestine support it.
The people in the Middle East are another matter. The Arab street has always opposed Zionism.
The tragedy of the revolt is that the ordinary people were sympathetic to it and let down by the Palestinian and other Arab elites. A continuing issue. They in the Arab revolt in Palestine where the ones that lost out most. Particularly in 48. There best leaders and fighters killed.
During the Nakba in 48 the Zionist paramilitaries as they went village to village used the intelligence they had built up to separate the men they knew had fought in the revolt in 1930s. They were summarily executed on the spot before the rest of a village was expelled.
As well as getting military training their intelligence network was respected by the British. One thing that comes across in the book { and in some other books I've read} is that Zionists saw intelligence on the land they wanted and knowing the terrain so to speak as important. Ilan Pappe points to the detailed knowledge Zionists had built up over the years as part of how they successfully did the Nakba.
British Army were not always so keen to have armed paramilitaries in frontline. Keeping Jewish people to guard important infrastructure. Partly think this came from British view that suppression of revolts of people was their business. That they were neither pro Arab or pro Jew.
