MEETING OF THE FUND-RAISING COMMITTEE FOR PALESTINE TO DISCUSS ARAB COMMANDO ACTIVITIES

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06674363
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: January 17, 2018
• Case Number: F-2017-01049

'Approved
for Release: 2017/11/20 C0667436311 INgORE. fATION INED
.SECRanigi .11400PilikWHEREIN IS UNCLASSIFIED
.DATE 11-02-2016 BY J76418T80 AUG.
� . �
NTFtAL INTELLIGENCE AGEN
-WASHINGTON,.D.C:29505-
,
� TO: Director
United States Sebrat Service,
Direator . .
Federal Bureau of Investigation
� Attention: Mr. S.J. Papich
. ,�
Deputy Director for nein
SUBJECT: Meeting of the FUnd-Paisinis Cossittee_lp Palestine to
Dieouss Arab ecessando Activities
1. Reference is le%ifioto of 7 October 1968, Subject:
Annual Meeting of the Organisation of Arab Students.
2. On 6 Septeseber 1968�
-reeeived; by f^
mail, an invitation from the Furvi-ftising Committee� for Palestine to attend
a meetim to be held on 8 September at Earl Rai of eoluabia University in
Bev York ei The meeting 1,i8.3 called to disease the Palestinian, Problem
in general and b e 0..4e=tifee- in psrticee,r. The meeting was. 7
attended by about 5 pe The Preside.ut of the Arab Student easse4ttee,1.1.
I.
; ,i'-,- � ---. - University, intro:112mi two representatiVes of
L( 6**44041/PATAR. UMW& stated- that these individuals had,. ecme to the United -
States at the invitation of the OrgsnizatiOa of Arab Students (QAS) and had
been speaker* at the OAS annual ecinferenee in Ann bp August 1968.
'Y asked AIM= stated that the AL*FATAR_Axer:esentetives 1,I1,. asked to address bp per fbi
t be iseAing e a ehimet natio-1CM --tl.ley eav4 he United States that b7E
, , , BEM eve 05 'Of, 'xii,ibit -FAT.An
eta
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\,.._. 3, r thaid-nAla,13.'s introducto bef.ere the. meettas titell.
he intended to ieview the hiatory of the !VI:134141114AI" Problem', expla
evolution of the AL-TATAR organisation, and leave it up to the.teals' in the
United States to decide what their role should be and what support they Meet
give the Palestinian cause.. , is- speech KaAL4Ajpkm softly, without erne-
tien, but with bitter ,v;�)404, attack cm the k_eondtkiefif their role .
In the problem at 1WistiO.: He blamed Nob and loss of
Palestinian lead on the Arab .g.�ts and their of the affairs
of the Palestinian pe tii the audience that they e d now have .
\ -AV faith Only in theests.1. e.-- Re said that Palestinians were 'mistreated
refugees" in 'other)Arab epontrl.exadd urged his andience to t.b1r)r of
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as their homeland. KHALIL cited many cases of how Palestinian refugees
were jailed, refused 'work permitsvdeportedl beaten and abused by their
neighboring Arab states end said Palestinians could maybe masters in a
land of their own.
4. KHALIL pointed out that the Arab governments had failed both mili-
tarily and politically in the evolution of the Palestinian situation and
had proved to be unable to regain the "lost land" and restore the Palestinians
to their ham. He told the audience be saw no hope in leaving the Palestine
problem in the bands of the Arab governments, Which Imre "themselves un-
stable". KHALIL mmde a clear distinction between the Arab governments and
the Arab people. He said the Arab people understand and sympathize.
5. With reference to AL-FATAH, KHALIL said all =Ober* of the orgini-
sation, with a very few "symbolic" exceptions, were Palestinians. Be said
that AL-FATAH had been established in 1958. He said that until June 1967,
the orgenisation had worked "underground" and until after the June 1967
Arab-Israeli War AL-FATAH bad been ineffective with many of its members
either in 3.41 or struggling with small scale operatics*. He stated that
AL-FATAH bed leaked the money, arms or support to carry out effective opera-
tioos. He mentioned specific cases where Jordanian authorities bad countered
AL-FATAK efforts and killed a number of commandos. By June 1967, there were
nearly 300 AL4ATAllemsbers in Jordanian jails. KIAL1L stated that his
organisation had benefited flue the jume War by obtaining large quantities
of modern arms fram the battlefield that had been left behind. He also said
that now the Palestiniess themselves had cams to believe they must take the
struggle into their own hands like the "Algerians". Be stated the civilian
population in Jordan was 100 percent behind the Arab commandos, and that the
Jordanian any was also supporting them now. Financially, UAL= indicated
his organisation was receiving large contributions from all the Arab popu-
lations, Arab governments, and from Palestinian refugees working abroad.
6. KUM said there would come a time when AL-FATAII would be able
to move more freely and operate at liberty in Jordan, whether the govern-
ment liked it or not. Be pointed out the fact that the commandos were very
popular *Nemeth& Jordanians, sad mode a remark indicating that the Jordanian
monarchy sight not last. In this connection, KHALIL indicated that at the
present time AL-FATAN could nee no urgency in encouraging the removal of
the Jordanian momarchy. Be told the audience the main concern of AL-FATAH
was to win the popular support of the messes which will lead to increased
support by the Arab governments. Be emphasized, however, that AL-FATAH
intended to inflict heavy losses on the Israelis and to Undertake daring
missions Which would automaticaLly bring approval and support by all Arabs.
7. KHALIL informed his audience that ALALTJUI had a smell, effective
Intelligence system, which in some cases had been co-ordinating with various
Arab governments. Be aid not elaborate, other than to state that a recent
discovery of an Israeli operation was the result of such co-ordination. He
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*leo indicated his organisatics acreemed all ereibers Mk revealed to them
little of the oversell wok. If a member was discovered to have betrayed the
orgatisation, he nest face the punishment of � "firing squad". INAT.IL
stated several members bed net their fate in this menner after it had been
proven that they bed betrayed an operation to the enemy.
8. WA= told his audience he did not went then to be emotional and
do irrational things, but they mat think about it tbey can do to help
eel devise their methods of helping the Palestinian cause. No pointed
out that there IrS2/1 AL4PATAN liaison office in Nev York City at SQL
Second Amps, c/o ttb* itin. Liberation Organisation.
/v.
9. IOW= td us nisei= to the United States bed been a �secret",
but visaed out that the item To* Tines, in a dispatch from Cairo, had nen-
tinned his trip. Me was not happy about this pulAiotty. Dr. Zuhayr
did not speak during the meeting.
10.
CIA= lochs* to be about 35 years of ege, about 6 feet tall and veiglied
about leo pounds. Na presented himself as a Palestinian, but MA not *eke
1!, mention of the place of his residesoft. Na spoke Arabic with a *unwed too
of voice balloting higher education. Na was not emotional, but spoke with
a owl bitterness and a deep hate of the h11t0o7 of the Palestinian problem'.
Re seemed most oeneetened with publieisiag AL-PATAN activities and pleasing
the issues in front of the Arab mese.. Dr. ALelil looked to be about 35
years of age. Na is a professor at the American UniversityIn Beirut.
11. Any additional information on Zuloyr el-ATANI or NheliA
viii be forwarded.
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