DAILY REVIEW OF THE SYRIAN PRESS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00415R005200120008-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 28, 2004
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: April 26, 1950
• Content Type: PREL

Daily Revieuj of the Syrian Press
25
The following is an informal digest of material from the local
Syrian Press, and is in no way to be considered as an official
translation. It should not be quoted nor attributed to the Legation >
25XI
No. 7
aAPERS REVIEWED:
(FOR_ STAFF USE ONLY)
Wednesday,April 26, 19 _?
X1
Alif Ba' , Al Nasr, Al Manar, Al Fayha', Al Ba ?th, Al Balad,
Barada, Al Kifah, Al Masa', Al Qabas, Al Ayyam, Al Insha' ,;
Al 'Alain, Al Hadara, Al Nidal, Al Shabab, Al Nazir, Al-
ls:lah, Al Suri, Al Jabal,
ARAB AFFAIRS
MERGER OF ARAB PALESTINE AND JORDAN:
Al Kifah observes that King 'Ab dallah has annexed the Arab part
6f'- jistin.e to Jordan in complete disregard of the wishes of
the Arabs and the advice of the Arab League U
The paper adds that were the Jordanian Government to benefit
from the annexation it would be justified in its action. The fact
is that since May, 1948 Jordan has been controlling and adminis-
ter?ing the Arab part of Palestine without any opposition or
resistance. Consequently, the only motive behind the annexation
is the desire to challenge the Arabs and the Arab League and
to serve the interests of imperialists.
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DAMASCUS, SYRIA
State Dept. declassification & release instructions on file
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(,Pr.Dig.78,/2 )
he paper concludes by advising the Arab League to deprive
w or?dan of its membership in the League, irrespective of whatever
onn.s c,uences may ensue.
;. ;i4ar;a1 describes the annexation of the :,rab part ,)f Palestine
.u Jordan as a deadly blow to the Arab cause in Pale, st1ne and
considers it as another fait accompli similar to that which
resulted from the establishment of the Jewish state. The paper
.dds that there will be no more a problem called e the Palestine
Problem', but a problem of territory occupied and divided,
betwe-3n different powers. How can the Arab delegations to the
United Nations face the other delegations, if they are asked
to 'locate Palestine on the map? The paper inquires in conclu;,
aion as to how the Arabs can have confidence in the Arab League
and the Collective Security Pact in which Jordan is a member.
All '.'~pers : In answer to the Jordanian note announcing the
aItie:at'ion of Eastern Palestine to Jordan, Premier 'Aim sent
yesterday;., April 25, the following reply
",'The S3yrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has the honor
to acknowledge receipt of the note of the Jordanian Minietry
of Foreign Affairs concerning the annexation of the Eastern
part of' Palestine. On this occasion, the Syrian Government
affirms that it will. stand by the decision taken by the Arab
Leagues Council on April lb, 1950."
Al Manar: The Eastern Newsagency reports that Prime ,Minister
X%i_T 6_`alm'Azm conversed by telephone with Riyad al-Sulk, the
Lebanese Premier, and agreed with him on the text of a cable
to be sent in reply to a Jordanian cable received by the two
Governments concerning the annexation of the Arab portion of
Palestine to the Kingdom of Jordan.
DAWALIi:11 ? S STATEMENT , DR. KABBARAH DISAPPROVE :
The following declaration of Minister Kabbarah was published
in Alif Bat. Al Balad, Barada and Al Favha. The other morning
page ,, l Nasr Al 3 anar, A Kifah, and. A Balth did not mention
Asked by the Eastern News Agency on his opinion regarding
the declarations of his colleague, Dr. I4a'ruf al.-Dawalibi, the
Minister of National Economy, Dr. Sami Kabbarah,, the Minister
of Interior stated,
#s". 'hese declarations are purely personal and represent the
opinion of Dr. Dawalibi. The Government does not approve those
de Sl.arations. As far as IAm concerned, I consider Dr. Dawalibi's
declarations inconsistent with the truth. The Soviet Union is
no less responsible than the United States for the fate of
Palestine. Russia encouraged the Zionists and supported the
PJ FOAO i Q obi e e sl~~ ( 4/ a6 D~$~3 ~1 15R0U5 2~008D atea. Britain
did not...
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r'. D2
L/3)
!, not support Israel as America and Russia, because the
. y a ;.i sir lost the Jews politically after the Americans won t.hhem.
i arada, Dr. Malruf al-Dawalibi, the Minister of National
anon r, denied that the American Minister to Syria had
protested to the Syrian Government against the bomb-5-rig of the
..7 W , Y t ed State_Legation.
Minister of Economy Dawalibi added:
P;'. .. believe that the. fate of the United States of America
,will be similar to that of Germany. At one time Jewish capital
dominated Germanyf, ruined its economy, and jeopardized its status
for the sake of Jewish inteaests. The Jews have
.svucceeded in altering the true face of America which was once
viewed through the perspective of the teachings of Washington
and the principles of Wilson. After the Arabs had realized that
America was the cause of the Palestine tragedy, they began to
view the true face. of America covered with a Zionist tarnish."
Referring to the report that President Truman has requested
King 'Ahd_~Rl- ?A'ziz al Sa eud to use his good offices in an
effort rvo remove him from the scene of Syrian politics,
Minister Dawalibi said:
"I believe that this report which originated in Washington
is one of the Jewish methods which attempts to prejudice the
prestive and interests of America, and to thrust it into the
furnace of world indignation, because, if this report is true,
it can be considered as an intervention in the internal policy
of another nation, especially when this intervention involves
the freedom of belief and speech referred to in the Human
Riff;ht s a Declaration which has been championed by America."
Al Dalad- The Prime Minister declared that there is nothing
o corm the report published by Al Misri that 'President
Truman had requested H.M. King ? Ab -a M 4 Aziz al-Sa'ud to use
his good offices in an effort to convince the Syrian Government
to remove one of the Syrian MinisterlDr. Dawalibi) from the
Cabinet,
The Prime Minister added that if such a. request was really
made it would be considered as an encroachment on the rights
of an inde,Dendent state and would be rejected by both Syria and
Sa''udi-Arabia.
NTEF NATIONALIZATION OF JERUL)ALEM:
Al Manar: Reports from France indicate that the the French
Government is contemplating a change in policy vis-a-vis the
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.nternational_ization.,
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n t ernaUonalization of Jerusalem. France will reportedly give
~; p rt:lrig the internationalization project along with a
, i F3 J. policy adopted by Russia. Such a policy will be
f ncum e following the arrival in France of i r0 boisan; er,
head, of the Palestine Conciliation Commission.
DOMESTIC AFFAIRS
i ~A IN OF THE LrGATION:
Al . ianar: The Eastern News Agency is informed. by authoritative
a._.~aff Ica ai. sources that the judicial authorities questioning
of suspects detained in connection with the bombing of the
American Legation has not yet confirmed the allegations of the
American Legation that the bomb was thrown from outside by
unknown persons. The investigation conducted so far indicates
that, the bomb was not thrown from outside but was planted at
the place where the bomb exploded.
The 23 persons who have been detained in connection with
,he incident: have launched a hunger strike since they claim
here is no evidence of their participation in the incident.
AN A 1- AB LADY REJECTS OFFER
Al 1kasa?: Mrs. Samiyyah al-Pludarris has been nominated to
?e p cr t Syria' in the world women's Social Activity Conference
which will shortly be held in America. Mrs. Pludarris, however,,
rejc,cted the offer and declared that she did not wish to be
entertained by America which has been supporting the Jews an
adopting a hostile attitude toward the Arabs. Mrs. Mudarris
also called upon Arab women to boycott this conference in order
to express the Arabs' hatred for America.
NAZI M AL_:QDDSI :
Al t?'ayha v : The Government of Jamil Mardam Bey issued a decision
a n -17-8-prohibiting the sale, purchase, and transfer of Jewish
property in Syria. Ihe decision was motivated by a sincere
desire to protect the Arabs' interests in Palestine. Tt remained
in force during all the succeeding governments until the present
regime in which the Populists are playing a prominent part.
Certain members of the family of Dr. Nazim al-Qudsi purchased
dirt cheap from Jews desiring to emigrate to Palestine the
well-known real estate "Khan Duwayk" and other immovable
property in. Aleppo. After the purchase, the family came to
its prominent member? Dr. Nazim a.l?Qradsi, the heart and brain
of the People's Party, the Prime Minister of the 23-hour
government, and the Chairman of the Constituent Coimitteef, and
sought his good offices to persuade the present government
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to transfer....
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(Pr.Digo71 /5)
;. fifer the title of the properties in question to
D-r names. The Government however refused to consent
.t?? all the arguments presented by the Populist minister
-p
ti.a_ _,ibali,
,. ?. `' UDI MINIST F CALLING ON HASHIM BEY
Al Ba !gad ; At 12:00 noon yesterday, the Saudi Arabian Minister
J:u conferred with H.E. Hashim al=A ,as:i for approximately
nxhour. No communique in this respect has been issued.
by the Presidency.
T `A P L I N .
kr! Akhbar: A columnist censures TAPline as follows.
Not a day elapses without further violation by TAPline
of the terms of the agreement. reached between the Company and
Ash;: ` yrian Government
The Company promised to emply as large a number of Syrians
as possible in laying their pipelines. Instead it has imported
machinery to replace manual labor. Furthermore, the Company
has imported food on the pretext that it intended the consumption
of the employees; It has placed for saled in the Syrian markets,
in order to hamper Syrian industry.
The Company satisfied the rich landowners and consequently
expropriated the properties of the small farmers,
A friend who had the lucK to be employed by TAPline related
many stories on the Company's ill-treatment of Arab employees,
The Company is following a policy based on exploiting the
influence and the support of prominent families by simply
offering employment to their sons. This policy of employment
is an imperialist method aimed at sowing dissension between
various classes of people,
. The responsible authorities are called. upon to revise the
agreement concluded with this Company,,
AMERICAN DIPLOMATIC CORPS:
Al 1 asr published an article viewing with grave concern the
. nla ? ed staff of the American Legation the host of officials
in the American diplomatic corps in Syria indicates America?s
increased interest in Syria, a fact which portends great evil,
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sir,ce~ ,
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uce A:a er ica a s previous interest in the Arab world resulted
the establishment of the Jewish state.
he dirlonlatic representation of the united States in
which is being continously enlarged , should have raised
risen
?
the suspcions of the Syrian Government, especially after the
t;{a ance between the Syrian representation in the j. ni.te~d Sty=_i~eannd the American representation in Syria had been ;gravely
: acrd se ., the enlarged staff of the American Lei ~~i, on
should have induced the Syrian authorities to inquire into he
a:atV, s;acialization and activity of every American official,
rre should like to remind America that it express' d its
suspicions and amazement when it found out that the Staff of
the Soviet Legation in Bangkok numbered 200 officials, Does
'Lot Syria have the ri.;. ht to express greater suspicion aa:~d
a iazement at the presence of 500 American officials enjoying
d~iplomat_ic immunity? ...
r? , is evident that the Syrian people strongly reeent
American :policy to the Arab world and the fact that the American
Government has not taken any measures to change a t;s unjust
policy. The relations between America and Syria cannot be
(described as relations of goodwill. With what argument,
therefore, can America justify the enlargement of its Legation
staff in Syria. Responsible Syrian officials have moa:"e than once
expressed their dissatisfaction with American policy. It is
hoped that the Syrian Government will request the American
lover .nment to reduce its Legation staff in Syria and to make
it equal to the staff of the Syrian Le ation in Washington end
the Syrian Consulate in New York. Washington would do well, were
;III-,. to find other jobs for the army of its diplomatic officials
Ln 5 ria "
i owa are too many. May God reduce your number.
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