ARAB STATES' ATTITUDES, PLANS, AND ACTIVITIES RELATIVE TO POSSIBILITY OF PALESTINE CIVIL WAR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-04864A000100040003-2
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 15, 1998
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: May 20, 1998
• Content Type: IR

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"ENT KARL INTELLIGENCE GROUP REPORT NO. O31
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INFORMATION REPORT
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COUNTRY P&.oetiz a an,d Aeighboring Arab States
,",US JE ' Arab Staten's Attitudes, P1aut, and Activities
l tive to Possibility of Palestine Civil War
PLACE Vr etg broadcasts monitored
ACQUIRED -by th B13, Washington, D4,,
DATE SUPPLEMENT TO
"'CQUtREC 1 September 3 loveeabelr 194 REPORT NO. e~0-ta
GRADING or aodRHFbium to y COLLECTOR'S GRAJItVG OF Cor4TEt
CO Ei?i. USUALLY IFAlRLY hs)T NOT GAIM11 COt~FIRR9Et3 jpROBABLY Pt7SS46LY PROfiPt3LY wauT
1140AL! Y BE BY I1TN5R DOUBTFUL BE
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75410 DOCUMENT :-CONTAINS INFORMATION AFPUmTINC THE
NATIONAL DKPENBG OF THE UNITED GITATCS WITNIN THE
N F.AN/NO O' THE' ESP ONl43E ACT. SO U. S. C.. 91. AND 92. AS
AM ENDED. ITS TRA116MISSION OR THE R[FELAT'.ON OP ITS
CONTENT.3 IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERW N
to PR =JH IBIIEO YY LAW. IT MAV N7': OR &YEP:1UDUCKO IN
YMI?IOL.3 OR IN PART; EY OT14ER THAN THE STATE. WAR, OR
NAVY DEPARTMENTS EXCEPT BY PERMISSION OF TI4 DIRECTOR
OP CENTRAL -INTELLIGENCE.
SOURCE Poreig iee Broadcasts,, primarily from Arab
This report is based on monitor d foreign broadcast matertt a,
a~~moet entirely, era; &ting from re..dios, ln. 4e Ne and ?*ttat.., during the 'pe;z?;.od 1 Soptomiaer: iott
we mere publi :: a 3 Wevembetz4947.?, wcgh the av ,t:1aabl'e
m :?nitored matc (( -7 eld's no ata' tevcr re ..at' 'x''
illegal armed or ni,s$tiona in Ea1a'stinv:, c oeIpr d
f va aistary and sporadic references pertinent to the `ntt taffies,
par, ani :Ctivitiea of certain Arab !8taatdsr, 'or i g jt
of:e me vhereinf, in the even `of civil war In 'aa eetiuO0.
DATE DrSTR. ! saibc--- 1947
NO. OF PAGES 5
NO. OF ENCLS.
4USTE.9 BV.OWT
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?~ 11ittlae feet of UL,-Soviet St And on lli-garence of ~YarcryAcastea ? ? n e ? ~ 2
'*`. r-jw Definite G~hreats of Warn o n a o o c~ o o a c o e o ... ' E0 PO.Lii:L V NLIXsM)R&T V4 AMONG ARJAB A YS V XZS .. o n r, e c ., ? . .
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The belligerent tone of Arab broadcasts continues to gather momentum, in
spite of Soviet.U.So agreement to support partitions On the other hand, actual
threats of definite military action are confined to the statement that Arab troops
will "enter" Palestine when the.Dritish leave,
Radio reports cast some doubt upon the likelihood that egypt or Transjordasn
would fight, and there is almost no zention of Saudi Arabia in this connection.
Monitored broadcasts reveal few facts on troop strength? though an Egyptian
organization claims 10,000 new volunteers
Numerous minor items relate to troops on Paaaleetinea s northe:?n and southern
frontiers, especially the northern, For eras pleb Syrian mechanized forces are
reported near Euneitra and east of Lake Tiberiasg British force! in Roshpina are
reported replaced by Tranasjordan Frontier Guards with an Arab majority; an Zpyptian
regiment has been ordered to El' rash?
1. INTENTIONS OF THE ARAB STATES
Soviet-T7oSo agreement to the partition of Palestine has not prod;aced any noticeable
diminution in the denunciations of partition on the part of the *.rab radios, nor in
the frequency of reports of military preparation, On the other hand? actual threats
of war do not occur except in the following forme melodramatic: general threats;
reports of border preparations; and assertions that the Arab trope will enter
Palestine when the British leave,
There appear to be doubts about Egvpt','s readiness to fights based on the fact that
it did not participate in the general Arab protest-strike against partition, and on
vehement denial of rumors that it is not standing with the other Arab states. Ttere
is also room for doubt about Transjordanss readiness, based on ins Abdullahnc
statement of preference far peace; Saudi Arabia is almost never mentioned in this
connection.
ao Little ]Effect of Soviet-UoSa Stand on Belligerence of Broadcastst With reg&rd
to the likelihood that Arab readiness to use force a9.ght be reduced by the prospect
of united Soviet-U.So opposition in the U..&,, it should be noted that the belligerent
tone of the Arab radio has, If anything, increased since 13 Octcbers when the Soviet
stand was announced, both vilification of Zionists (chiefly over the Damascus
radio) and miscellaneous references to army maneuvers, volunteers. etc., have
continued with at least as m ch frequency and intensity as before that dater
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bD Pew Definite Threats of Wars In spite of their general belligerence, the Arab
radios sxhi t a notewo tby absence of specific threats of war which, if made,
would involve lose of face in the event they were not carried out, The threats that
do occur take the following forms (1) melodramatic assertions that the Zionists
are "assassins" who will be "exterminated" and that enforcing partition would cause
"revolt" of all Arab-, throughout the sorldg (2) references to troops on frontiers
and consultations of commanders*, (3)'definite statements that A?ab forces will "go
to Palestine"-without saying what they will do there"-when the British withdraw,
The Prime Minister of Iraq is,quoted (by London) as saying "that the Iraqi Army
would go to Palestine if the U,!0 adopted partition Be declined to give the
dispositions of the Iraqi forces, but said that they would enter Palestine within a
matter of minutes if the British troops withdraw," (London? 23 October 1947)
The Grand Mufti is quoted as follows& "Withdrawal of the British from Palestine is
as essential prerequisite, and we have met their declaration with satisfaction. We
are waiting for implementation of the evacuation to achieve our rights in full"
(as told to Beirut paper AL-HATAT,, quoted by Sharq ;1=Adna,, Jef"a0 in Arabic, 1.6
October 1947)
c, Ambiguity In the Positions of E. t and Tranejordan-, No Word on Saudi Arabia5
The most emphatic iUconsiatent support o the Arab cause,, as u ge3 by r0 lo
reports, comes from Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and the Arabs of Palestine Itself, Saudi
Arabia is not heard from at all, nor have there been any monitored broadcasts
describing military support by It, Pakistan and Iran report only "volunteene,'
though Jinnah announces "fullest support" There is also some ambieuity in the
positions of Egypt and Trauejordang
1. N- vpto There are several reports of Egyptian troops thing sent to the
Palestinian border (see below);, and it is reported that 1C,OOO Egyptian troops
are being trained for the fight0 King Farouk fs said by tie Beirut radio to be
"interested in rescuing Palestine as much as he is interested in liberating
Egypt and uniting the Nile valley,"
On the other hand, there have been no quoted official statements by Eg~ptia+
representativest the Cairo radio is relatively non-belligerent; the general
strike on 3 October against the UNSCOP recommendations is said to have "extended
throughout all the Arab countries except Egs-pt'?g and very recently (29 October)
the Arab League issued a long and vehement denial of rumors that Egypt was not
fully supporting the Arabs of Palestine, The wording of this denial suggests
that there have been skeptics). rumors also with regard to states other than
Egypt, since it "completely denies all rumors and publications in this connection,
whether regarding Egypt or any other Arab state." (Cairo, in Arabic, 29
October 1947)
2, Transjordan. Both Transjordan and E ypt are included in a report of a
meeting of Army Commanders from Syria, Lebanons, Egypt, and Trans Jordan to be
held "on the frontier," (Sharq ~al-Adna, Jaffa?' X.2 October 1947) On the other
hand, King Abdullah proclaims that he does not "seek enmity"c "the Trans-
Jordanian Premier has refuted news reporting that the i'rztzsjordanian Army was
making dispositions on the Palestinian borders, King Abdvl.lsh said that his
country did not seek enmity with any other country but, co-atrariwise,, preferred
peace to war." (Omdurman, in Arabic, 14 October 1947)
References in monitored broadcasts to troop mobilization in the event of conflict
include the following fragmentary reports that iO,,000 Egxvptians have volunteered;
that, according to an Iraqi chief, 250,000 Iraqi volunteers could be raised-, and
that Arabs and Jews in Palestine have appealed for volunteers,
a, B tto Bid Ramadan, Vice-Presidexdt of the Egyptian Ikhwan al=Muslimin association,
declared that 10,000 young men of his organization had volunteered for Palestine&s
"defense." (Damascus, in Arabic, 28 October 1947)
b, Ir : Sheikh Kheirallah, member of the committee organizing a meeting of 1,000
trio leaders on 22 October, said that the Iraqi tribes could raise a ouarter of a
million volunteers, (Sharq a1-Adne, Jaffa;, 13 October 1947)
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C. Palestinian Arabsp "Arab organizations have appealed to all Arabs (to
volunteer), by meaus of pamphlets distributed yesterday in the Jerusalem streets."
(Beirut, 18 October 1947) *Leaf late were distributed throughout. Jaffa urging Arab
youths to volunteer immediately," ({Cairo,, 1g October 194?)
d. Palestinian Jews "Je'ioh national Corocils in various big Palestine cities
have appeal. to all Jews, en and women between the ages of 15 and 50, to volunteer
for the Jewish Army," (Beirut,, in Arabic, U October 194?)
III., PREPARATIONS ON PAL!STIRE PRONTIBRS
There are numerous items .egarding military preparations on Palestine's northern and
southern frontiers,, especially the northern, The eastern or Transjordrnian frontier
is not mentioned, excei t in the above-mentioned denial, (I,, c.2) Preparations 1
Jaffa and Haifa are e3-lntioned, and there are ;rumors of Zionist troops waiting in
European ports,
a~ Northern ?rontiors
"Jewish communities in the Galilee district? referring to the a?istence of Syrian
mechanized forces along the frontiers,, said that there was activ:tty and a concentration
of forces in the districts of Euneitra (Dania), and east of Late Tiberias, Many Tel
Aviv corresponder s reported a concentration o:' Arab forces in those regions as well
as others. ... Jewish communities in Upper Clnlilee learned through their Intelligence
Corps that Brit;sh forces which were stationed in Roshpina in Galilee on the borders
have been evac'.cated and replaced by Transjord3g Frontier Guards with an Arab
majority," ('Damascus,, in Arabic, 13 October 3947)
"The newspaper HA'Bo Anpoints out that tensioi among the Jews in the north of
Palestine 'gas reached such an extent that they are unable to 6{s any work on account
of their -:'ear of the Arab forces stationed at the northern border of Palestine,, They
do not care to plow their land while the Syrian Dakota planes roar over their heads,,
The nonpaper states that the road between Daiascun and Beirut is full of light
armored units. The sight of the Syrian convo,- of care is having a paralyzigig effect
on '.,he Jews? who have not slept since last Sfturdey," (Cairo,, ARAB PRESS SM,VICE,,
in, Arabic Morse, 15 October 1947)
"The Syrian Army stationed near the frontiers of Palestine and Transjordan is to
start important maneuvers on Saturday (1 Novei:ber)," (Brazzaville,, 30 October 1947)
"Rumors are current here (Cairo) that the Iraqi Array as well as the Transjordan Army
have crossed their common frontiers with the k~iowledge of Eggp;,,, and that they have
reached the point of concontration planned by the Arab leader,, Pawzi al-1a?imukji,
It is said that Emir"Magid Arelan,, the Lebanese Defense Minister, vent to the
frontier region which joins Palestine, He was :accompanied by two officers of Cie
Lebanese Chief of Staff, He was met by Lt,, Gas Emir Shilt$b, vomrnander of the
Forces in Southern Lebanon,." (Cairo, in Arable Mores, 12 October 1947),
".Syrian forces from the north are still paseirg through Damaecmis on route for the
outhera borders, with bands playing, and amidot the people's cheers for Palestine
and Egypt.a (Damascusti 17 October 1947)
"An laptian regiment has received orders to mo?ta to E1-Arieh to join an infantry
detachment stationed there? The regiment consists of one infantry detachment from
Cairo, one from Alexandria? a sappers units an anti-aircraft battery, artillery?
signals, and administrative units,," (Damascus, 17 October 1947)
"Fifteen Egyptian Army planes have arrived in 11--A:ish,, carrying equipment to provide
areas where the Egyptian Army will camp with wal:er and electricity. These forces
(will) reportedly (bc:) sent to the Egypt--Palestfne.frontier," (Beirut, 18 October
1947)
"The Egyptian Defense Ministry neither confirmed nor denied todayns AIL.ABRAM report
that 7,000 soldiers would be sent to EllArisb,, near the Palestine frontiers,."
(Damascus, 17 October 1947)
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"The establishment of Arab guards for the protection of Arab regions and districts
in Haifa has been completed, Villages in the neighborhood of Haifa which are
adjacent to Jewish colonies were notified to send women and children to distant
villages, Night patrols have also been set up in all these villages. Some families
in Haifa are beginning to leave the town for the interior, Tationel organizations
in (Jaffa) are continuing their meetings to arrange the necessary sjeasures against
any danger that may befall the town." (Cairo, 15 October 1947)
d. Rumors of Jews Coming from Euro man. PorteE
"Rumors have been circulated by Zionists that they are planning an attack against
Palestine, They are reportedly concentrating their forces on the Rumanian and
Bulgarian shores and in Genoa in Italy. Several ships will reportedly transport
these criminals to the sacred land of the Arabs, Among those ships are two ships
now in Constants harbor,,." (Damascus, 2? October 194?)
IVs REPORT OF COLLABORATION AMONG ARAB ARMIES
Though it is obviously not based on authoritative information, the following reported
plan for inter-Arab collaboration may be of some interestg
"Circles in close rotation with the Council of the Arab League believe that
it has been decided to unite the efforts of the Arab Areleso Belief is
prevalent that leadership of these Armies will be given to a well-known military
personage, assisted by a chief of a staff organization representing the seven
Arab countries, members of the League, Every Army will (preserve the national
character of) each Armyo Liaison officers will be appointed in each Army. It
is understood that Transjordan will offer to the Arab United Army its mechanized
and armed units,, Syria will offer cavalry divisions, prrticularly the Al-
Sharkas (Circassiani) Infantry, Lebanon will put into the field infantry
divisions. The Saudi Arabian Army Air Force will be relied upon. In the case
of Iraq and E apt, they will minister to the Arab Army in preparing its needs
in weapons and guns, medical equi Dent, and the safeguarding of its lines of
communicational (Cairo, ARAB PRESS SERVICE, in Arabic Morse, 12 October 1947)
(Note? The above mention of Saudi Arabia in the only one in monitored broadcasts
from the Hear East?)
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