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A Small Consolation for a Big Loss: King Abdallah and Jerusalem During the 1948 War

2008; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 14; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/13537120802127689

1743-9086

Ronen Yitzhak,

Jewish and Middle Eastern Studies

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image size Notes Ronen Yitzhak is a lecturer in Modern Middle Eastern history at Western Galilee College. 1. Daily Report ‘In the Arab Camp’, 26 April 1948, 105/142, Haganah Archive (hereafter HA). 2. Avraham Sela, ‘Transjordan, Israel and the 1948 War: Myth, Historiography and Reality’, Middle Eastern Studies, 28 (1992), p. 631. 3. Yoav Gelber, Jewish–Transjordanian Relations 1921–1948, London, 1996, pp. 17–19, 210, 223; Benny Morris, The Road to Jerusalem: Glubb Pasha, Palestine and the Jews, London and New York, 2002, pp. 91–93. 4. It should be noted that this meeting created one of the most notable myths of the ‘new historians’, according to which, the Zionists and Abdallah conspired to impede the establishment of an Arab Palestinian state see Efraim Karsh, Fabricating Israeli History: The ‘New Historians’, London, 1997. pp. 69–107. 5. Sela, ‘Transjordan, Israel and the 1948 War’, p. 634. 6. ‘Conversation with the Trans-Jordan Prime Minister’, Bevin to Kirkbride, 9 February 1948, PRO/FO 371/68366. In an interview with Glubb he spoke clearly about agreement between the two governments, Glubb 4410/6, Sound Archive, Imperial War Museum. 7. Foreign Office to Amman, 10 February 1948, PRO/CO 537/3993; Alan Bullock, Ernest Bevin Foreign Secretary: 1945–1948, Oxford, 1985, p. 509. 8. Thus, for example, when the Jerusalem neighbourhood of Ein Karem was being threatened, Abdallah asked the British to allow him to send the Arab Legion there, in order to help protect it. A similar scenario occurred after the Deir Yassin events. Amman to Foreign Office, 15 April 1948, PRO/FO 371/68852; ‘Shay’ (Intelligence) Daily Report, 14 April 1948, 105/112, HA. 9. ‘Tene’ (Intelligence) Report, 14 April 1948, 660/927/1975, Israel Defence Forces Archive (hereafter IDFA); Avi Shlaim, Collusion Across the Jordan: King Abdulla, the Zionist Movement and the Partition of Palestine, Oxford, 1988, p. 180; Yoseph Nevo, King Abdallah and Palestine: A Territorial Ambition, Oxford, 1996, pp. 98, 115. 10. ‘Shay’ (Intelligence) Daily Report, 26 April 1948, 105/142, HA. Even Kirkbride claimed that the Arabs were under the impression that the occupation of the territories was only temporary, Amman to Foreign Office, 13 May 1948, PRO/FO 371/68852. 11. ‘In the Arab Camp’, 14 March 1948, S 25/7733, Central Zionist Archive; Nevo, King Abdallah and Palestine, p. 101. 12. Morris, The Road to Jerusalem, p. 118. 13. ‘Reports from the Arab World’, 28 April 1948, 105/112, HA. 14. ‘Shay’ (Intelligence) Daily Report, 3 May 1948, 105/142, HA. 15. Taqrir Lajnat al-Tahqiq al-Niyabiyya fiQadiyyat Filastiin, Baghdad, 1949, p. 194 (Arabic). 16. This report was written by Ismail Safawat, the commander of military committee of the Arab League, ‘The Establishment of the Arab forces and the sector of them activities’, 1 January 1948, 230/ General/8, HA; ‘The Arab Liberation Army in 1948: Catalogue of documents’, p. 5, 69/78, HA. 17. Amman to Foreign Office, 14 May 1948, PRO/FO 371/68372; Salih Saib al-Jaburi, Mihnat Filistin, Baghdad, 1970, pp. 169–170 (Arabic). 18. ‘The Arab Legion’ (Research of History Department in I.D.F.), p. 38, 178/1046/70, IDFA; Muhammad Abd al-Munim, Asrar 1948, Cairo, 1968, pp. 316–317 (Arabic). 19. ‘In the Arab Camp’, 13 May 1948, 105/142, HA. 20. On the Attacks see Dan Kurzman, Genesis 1948: The First Arab–Israeli War, New York, 1970, pp. 77–79, 223–233; Uri Bar-Yoseph The Best of Enemies: Israel and Transjordan in the War of 1948, London, 1987, pp. 59–64. 21. ‘Tene’ (Intelligence) Report, 24 April 1948, 353/2644/49, IDFA; Report was given to ‘Hashmonay’, 26 April 1948, 353/2644/49, IDFA. 22. ‘Jerusalem in War of Independence’ (Research was written by IDF History Department), p. 85; Yosef Shapira (ed.), David Shaltiel: Yerusalim Tashah, Tel Aviv, 1981, p. 145 (Hebrew). 23. Suleiman Musa, Ayyam La Tunsa: al-Urdun fi Harb 1948, Amman, 1982, pp. 150–151 (Arabic). 24. Sela, ‘Transjordan, Israel and the 1948 War’, pp. 642, 647. 25. ‘Etzioni’, to Yadin, 16 May 1948, 1/464/54, IDFA; Alec Kirkbride, Crackle of Thorns: Experience in the Middle East, London, 1958, pp. 15–16. 26. Amman to Foreign Office, 2 May 1948, PRO/FO 816/118. 27. Amman to Foreign Office, 15 May 1948, PRO/FO 371/68372. 28. Amman to Foreign Office, 18 May 1948, PRO/FO 816/120; Amman to Foreign Office, 20 May 1948, PRO/FO 371/68641. 29. ‘Weekly Report, 17–24 May’, M.E.L.F to War Office, 25 May 1948, PRO/CO 537/3867. 30. John Bagot Glubb, A Soldier with the Arabs, London, 1957, p. 108; Musa, Ayyam La Tunsa, pp. 153–154. 31. Shapira, David Shaltiel, p. 163. 32. Jerusalem to Foreign Office, 17 May 1948, PRO/FO 371/68505; ‘Reports from the Arabs’, 17/500/52, IDFA. 33. Glubb, A Soldier with the Arabs, pp. 100–101. 34. Haza al-Majali, Mudhakkarati, Amman, 1960, p. 67 (Arabic); Arif al-Arif, Nakbat Filistin wal-Fardos al-Mafqud, 1947–1952, Amman, 1955, Vol. 2, p. 451 (Arabic). 35. According to Jordanian historian, Suleiman Musa, the first order given to Glubb was on 16 May, but Glubb neglected to follow it. This claim has never been verified. Musa, Ayyam La Tunsa, pp. 158–159; Glubb, A Soldier with the Arabs, p. 110. 36. Syed Ali El-Edroos, The Hashemite Arab Army 1908–1979: An Appreciation and Analysis of Military Operations, Amman, 1980, p. 253. 37. Glubb, A Soldier with the Arabs, p. 108. 38. Sela, ‘Transjordan, Israel and the 1948 War’, p. 647. 39. Glubb 4410/6, Sound Archive, Imperial War Museum. 40. Amman to Foreign Office, 19 May 1948, PRO/FO 816/120; Amman to Foreign Office, 19 May 1948, PRO/FO 371/68829. 41. Abdallah al-Tal, Karithat Filistin: Mudhakart Abdallah al-Tal Qaid Ma'arat al-Quds, Amman, 1959, p. 101; Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre, O Jerusalem, London, 1972, p. 436. 42. The first Arab Legion Infantry Company was under command of Muhammad Musa and the eighth Arab Legion Garrison Company was under command Abdallah Abd Razaq. ‘Etzioni’ to Yadin, 17 May 1948, 1/464/54, IDFA. 43. Amman to Foreign Office, 19 May 1948, PRO/FO 371/68506; ‘Hiram’ to ‘Tene’, 21 May 1948, 105/129, HA. 44. Glubb, A Soldier with the Arabs, p. 107; Godfrey Lias, Glubb's Legion, London, 1956, p. 185. 45. Bar-Yoseph The Best of Enemies, p. 70. 46. Jerusalem to Foreign Office, 18 May 1948, PRO/FO 371/68505; Pablo De Azcarate, Mission in Palestine 1948–1950, Washington DC, 1966, p. 42; Bar-Yoseph The Best of Enemies, p. 71. 47. Bulletin Jerusalem's Brigade, 20 May 1948, 617/4944/49, IDFA. It should be noted that in his book, al-Tal later toned down the wording of the surrender terms, and quoted them as stating: ‘In order to prevent bloodshed, I call upon the Jews of Jerusalem to surrender’. Al-Tal, Karithat Filistin, p. 106. 48. The Trans-Jordanian official claim quoted in report of MELF see: MELF to Foreign Office, 28 May 1948, PRO/WO 275/119. Glubb repeated this claim later in his book and in interview with him see Glubb, A Soldier with the Arabs, p. 107; Glubb 4410/6, Sound Archive, Imperial War Museum. Also see the Jordanian Historians Maan Abu Muwar, The Jordanian–Israeli War: 1948–1951, History of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Reading, 2002, p. 92; Suleiman Musa and Madi Munib, Ta'arikh al-Urdun fi al-Karn al-Ashrin, Amman, 1997, Vol. 1, p. 486 (Arabic). 49. Foreign Office to United States Embassy, London, 22 May 1948, PRO/FO 371/68830; Alan Cunningham, ‘Palestine—The Last Days of the Mandate’, International Affairs, Vol. 24, No. 4 (October 1948) pp. 489–490; Bar-Yoseph The Best of Enemies, p. 68; Sela, ‘Transjordan, Israel and the 1948 War’, pp. 627, 639, 645. 50. ‘Etzioni’ to Yadin, 17 May 1948, 1/464/54, IDFA. 51. Fauzi al-Qawuqji, ‘Memoirs’, Journal of Palestine Studies, Part 2, Vol. 2, No. 1 (1972), p. 14. 52. Military Dairy of ‘Hashmonay’, 15 May 1948, 116/5254/49, IDFA; al-Arif, Nakbat Filistin, Vol. 2, p. 456. 53. Sela, ‘Transjordan, Israel and the 1948 War’, p. 646. 54. Amman to Foreign Office, 2 May 1948, PRO/FO 816/118; ‘Monthly Situation Report on Trans-Jordan for the Month of May 1948’, 2 June 1948, Amman to Foreign Office, PRO/FO 371/68845. 55. Bulletin Jerusalem's brigade, 20 May 1948, 617/4944/49, IDFA. 56. ‘The Arab Legion’ (Research of History Department in IDF), p. 46, 178/1046/70, IDFA. 57. Alec Kirkbride, From The Wings: Amman Memoirs 1947–1951, London, 1976, p. 33. 58. ‘Cables from The Old City’, 16 May 1948, 09:50, 39/500/48, IDFA; P.J. Vatikiotis, ‘The Siege of the Walled City of Jerusalem, 14 May–15 December 1948’, Middle Eastern Studies Vol. 31, No. 1 (January 1995), p. 143. 59. ‘Cables from the Old City’, 17 May 1948, 11:35, 39/500/48, IDFA; ‘Etzioni’ to Yadin, 18 May 1948, 02:20, 1/464/54, IDFA; Shapira, David Shealtiel, p. 173. 60. ‘Etzioni’ to Yadin, 18 May 1948, 11:40, 1/464/54, IDFA. 61. ‘Etzioni’ to Yadin, 18 May 1948, 14:00, 1/464/54, IDFA; Jerusalem to Foreign Office, 25 May 1948, PRO/FO 371/68508. 62. ‘Hiram’ to ‘Tene’, 20 May 1948, 105/147, HA. 63. Al-Arif, Nakbat Filistin, Vol. 2, p. 456; Jerusalem to Foreign Office, 20 May 1948, PRO/FO 371/68508. 64. MELF to War Office, 21 May 1948, PRO/CO 537/38672; David Ben-Gurion, Yoman Ha-milhama, Tel Aviv, 1982, Vol. 2, pp. 448, 445 (Hebrew). 65. ‘Etzioni’ to Yadin, 25 May 1948, 05:10, 1/464/54, IDFA; Musa, Ayyam La Tunsa, pp. 281–282. 66. Al-Arif, Nakbat Filistin, Vol. 2, p. 481; Ben-Gurion, Yoman Ha-milhama, Vol. 2, p. 461; ‘Yeruham’ to ‘Tene’, 28 May 1948, 105/129, HA; Jerusalem to Foreign Office, 2 August 1948, PRO/FO 371/68508. 67. ‘Etzioni’ to Yadin, 27 May 1948, 06:50, 1/464/54, IDFA; ‘Etzioni’ to Yadin, 27 May 1948, 16:00, 1175/922/75, IDFA; Jerusalem to Foreign Office, 30 May 1948, PRO/FO 816/124. 68. ‘Surrender the Jewish Quarter in the Old City’, 28 May 1948, 39/500/48, IDFA; ‘Report on the Fall of the Old City’, 4 June 1948, 279/7249/49, IDFA. For the text of the surrender agreement see 39/500/48, IDFA. 69. Musa, Ayyam La Tunsa, pp. 287–288. 70. Aqil Hyder Abidi, Jordan: A Political Study 1948–1957, London, 1965, p. 46; Bar-Yoseph, The Best of Enemies, p. 65. 71. Glubb, A Soldier with the Arabs, pp. 124–125; El-Edroos, The Hashemite Arab Army, p. 225; Musa, Ayyam La Tunsa, p. 201. 72. ‘Conversion with Colonel Abdallah al-Tal’, 24 May 1948, PRO/FO 371/6864. 73. ‘Reports from The Arab Radio’, 29 May 1948, 30 May 1948, 105/129, HA; Reports from ‘Hashmonay’, 5 June 1948, 499/4944/49, IDFA. 74. ‘Jerusalem in War of Independence’ (Research was written by IDF History Department), p. 84. 75. Ilan Pappe, Britain and the Arab–Israeli Conflict 1948–1951, New-York, 1988, p. 33. 76. Amman to Foreign Office, 19 May 1948, PRO/FO 371/68853. 77. Foreign Office to Amman, 25 May 1948, PRO/FO 371/68854; Amman to Foreign Office, 25 May 1948, PRO/FO 371/68854. 78. Amman to Foreign Office, 28 May 1948, PRO/FO 371/68829; Kirkbride, From the Wings, p. 145. 79. Ministry of Defence to Foreign Office, 27 April 1948, PRO/ FO 371/68853. 80. Foreign Office to United States Embassy, London, 22 May 1948, PRO/FO 371/68830. 81. Foreign Office to Amman, 28 May 1948, PRO/FO 371/68508. 82. New York to Foreign Office (From United Kingdom Delegation to the United States), 29 May 1948, PRO/CO 537/3938; Folke Bernadotte, To Jerusalem, London, 1951, pp. 29–31. 83. Foreign Office to War Office, 16 August 1948, PRO/FO 371/68830. 84. ‘Anglo-Arab Association’, 6 May 1949, PRO/FO 371/75295.