ARAB “RESISTANCE” GUERRILLAS AND THEIR GOVERNMENTS CONFLICT

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31772, 31 August 1968, Page 12

ARAB “RESISTANCE” GUERRILLAS AND THEIR GOVERNMENTS CONFLICT

<By

ERIC DOWNTON

in the "Dali u Telegraph")

fßeprinted bv arranaetXeni)

BEIRUT.

The bizarre twilight world of the Palestine Arab guerrilla movements stra P?, er - An . Israeli airliner is hijacked to Algeria. The Chief of Staff of one of the mam Arab “commando” factions is kidnapped by his own men m his Damascus headquarters.

Dominated by guerrilla chieftains a “Palestine National Assembly” meets in Cairo, generously subsidised by Egyptian and Arab League secret funds. Pledging itself to the annihilation of Israel, the assembly formally rejects the authority of the United Nations on the Palestine issue. One of the world’s richest young men turns up in the guerrilla's ranks. Within Jordan they are a State within a State and possibly a threat to the Hashemite monarchy. Sense Of Resistance They claimed to have killed several hundred Israelis in recent months, shot down half a ' dozen helicopters, and to have caused panic in Israel with their massive acts of sabotage. In fact, although they say they have at least 25,000 dedicated young men under arms, and are actively supported by the Jordanian, Egyptian, Syrian, and Iraqi Armies, their military effectiveness so far has been scarcely more than of nuisance value against Israel. But psychologically, in the wake of the Arab defeat by Israel in last year’s June war. the Fedayeen, as they are termed in Arabic (“those who sacrifice themselves”), are of great importance. At a time of frustration and humiliation they have given the Arabs a sense of achievement and resistance.

For king Hussein of Jordan, the resurrection of a strong, separate Palestinian entity will be a major political problem in future, even if he gets back the Jordan West Bank, For 20 years many Palestinians have been hostile to the Hashemite monarchy in Amman and have not reconciled themselves to Jordanian annexation of the West Bank after the 1948 war. Signs of friction between the Fedayeen and several Arab Governments, particularly Jordan and Syria, have emerged in recent weeks. Factional disputes among the various guerrilla organisations are also being aired publicly. The Arab guerrilla has a great history, dating from those remarkable campaigns in the 7th century A.D., when, in less than 50 years, inspired by the prophet Mohammed, the Arabian Bedouin established a great empire. Lawrence and his co-fighters of the Arab revolt did not create the Arab guerrilla; they used him. During the British Palestine mandate the guerrillas fought Briton and Jew. The word Fedayeen became international on the eve of the 1956 Suez campaign, when guerrillas from Egypt were raiding into Israel. From Syrian Bases The current cycle of Fedayeen activity began with the announcement early in 1965 of raids against Israel mainly from Syrian bases by Al Assifa (storm troops), the military arm of Al Fatah (conquest). In Arabic, Fatah also forms a reverse acronym of the words, “Harakat Tahrir Falastin.” Movement to Liberate Palestine. Numerically much stronger was the Egyptian - backed Palestine Liberation Organisation, headed by the bombastic Mr Ahmed Shukairy, and its affiliated Palestine Liberation Army, based in the Gaza Strip. After the June war there were about 15 Fedayeen organisations on Jordan's East Bank. Mergers were negotiated in Cairo early this year and now there are four groups claiming to be raiding Israel. The strongest is Al Fatah. Its best-known leader is Yasser Arafat, official spokesman for the Palestine Liberation Movement. The P.L.O. and its Palestine Liberation Army have been drastically reorganised since the ousting of Mr Shukairy, who now wanders the Middle East pathetic and ignored, a sorry shadow of the man who, encouraged by Cairo, was not long ago boasting that he would kick King Hussein out of Amman' and install a revolutionary government there. Provisional chairman of the P.L.O. is Yahya Hammoudah, a Leftist strongly influenced by the Algerian revolution. Officers’ Revolt

Egypt’s State radio gives both Al Fatah and the P.L.O. regular broadcasting facilities. Young officers of the Palestine Liberation Army at the beginning of this month mutinied against the P.L.O. executive committee and kidnapped their newly-appointed Chief of Staff, Brigadier Abdel Razzah al Yayha, in his Damascus headquarters. Syrian authorities apparently supported the mutineers. The ruling Baathist military junta in Syria has also interfered in the affairs of the third Fedayeen group, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The proCairo and anti-Baath Arab Nationalist Movement is strongly represented within this Front. Three Front leaders, who also happen to be prominent A.N.M. members, have been imprisoned in Damascus by the Syrian military. Such action against Fedayeen who do not share the Damascus regime’s political views is creating considerable anti-Syrian feeling among the guerrillas. Also resented is Syria’s refusal, through fear of Israeli reprisals, to allow the Fedayeen to operate from Syrian territory. The fourth and smaller

organisation is the recently formed Al Saiqa (thunderbolt). The group is said to be dominated by Palestinian members of the Syrian Baath party. Membership of these groups is mainly young men of Palestinian origin and Syrians. But some unusual volunteers have appeared, such as the multi-millionaire Sheikh Fahd al Ahmed al Sabbah, brother of the Kuwaiti Crown Prince, who was slightly wounded during the recent Israeli air attacks on Al Fatah camps in Jordan. Leaders’ Demands Grow

Extravagant praise for the Fedayeen from all parts of the Arab world may be turning their leaders’ heads. They are behaving increasingly as rulers of an independent government Now they are

demanding heavy weapons, especially anti-aircraft guns, and air support against the Israeli Air Force. Hijacking of the Israeli airliner, threats of political assassination, and indiscriminate attacks on civilians are causing concern in some Arab capitals. If the Israelis wanted to play rough In the same way, it is realised, they could do a lot of damage in countries which are sheltering and aiding the guerrillas. Beirut newspapers reported the other day that in Jordan Bedouins loyal to the throne are being quitely armed to support the military in case the Fedayeen move against the King. Sharif Nasser ben Jamil, King Hussein's uncle and his chief aide-de-camp, is said to be responsible for this precautionary move.