'The British wanted us to kill each other'
Throughout the course of this past week, there have been many virulently anti-Israel articles throughout the mainstream media in connection with Israel's 60th Independence Day, which I have largely ignored. But one thing I know that most of you overseas don't appreciate is the role the British played in Israel's formation, so I thought it would be appropriate to give you some background on that issue. Simply put, if it had been up to the British, the Arabs would have really succeeded in throwing the Jews into the sea. This ought to give you some idea. The old British Army base, a small sandstone fort, stands abandoned on a hill in Abu Ghosh, an Arab village just southwest of Jerusalem. Said Jabr was 14 when the British pulled out.Abu Ghosh is on the road between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. The village generally co-exists peacefully with its Israeli neighbors. Salim Jaber is the village's Mayor (pictured at the top of this post with former President Moshe Katsav).
“It was on the 14th or 15th of May. I remember exactly that the British commander came to Ali Saleh, the village mukhtar (elder), and said they were going to leave and warned us to be ready,” he recalled from his family home in Abu Ghosh. “Thirty-five armed villagers walked into the base to take command. But the British commander went at the same time to the kibbutz and told them the same thing.
“The British left one tank in front of the army base. Then a few tanks driven by the Haganah (the fledgling Jewish army) drove up and surrounded the army base. But we had great relations with the local kibbutzim – we believe in friendship and protecting a neighbour’s property, no matter who they are – and the leaders of the kibbutzim. . . came to the village. They met the mukhtar, drank coffee and reached an agreement that the villagers would leave the base and the Haganah would take over. The British commander was waiting in the remaining tank to see what would happen. He saw the Abu Ghosh villagers leaving the base and shaking hands with the Haganah members, and he said, ‘F****** Arabs’. Our impression was that he wanted us to kill each other. Thank God the people from both sides resolved the issue peacefully.”
Mr Jabr proudly displays the Hebrew shield he was awarded by the kibbutz. It shows two hands shaking – a token of thanks and friendship.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:14 PM
6 Comments:
remember Orde Wingate?
Thud said...
remember Orde Wingate?
1:45 AM
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Sure we remember Wingate! We even have a village (Yemin Orde), many a street and an institution named after that wonderful and outstanding individual, may he rest in peace.
Unfortunately, Wingate and the remaining handful of such great Britons was - and still is - dwarfed by the general anti-Semitic, anti-Zionist and anti-Israel streak that has always characterized English/British policy.
Do you remember Malcolm MacDonald?
Do you remember the White Paper?
Do you remember Sir Laurie Hammond?
Do you remember Lacy Baggallay?
Do you remember Lord Halifax?
Do you remember Colonel Waters-Taylor?
Do you remember Neville Chamberlain?
Do you remember Lord Killearn?
Do you remember the Struma?
Do you remember John Shuckburgh?
Do you remember Arthur Wauchope?
Do you remember Wyndham Deeds?
Do you remember John Greer Dill?
Do you remember John Hope Simpson?
Do you remember Charles Baxter?
Do you remember Lewis French?
Do you remember Matiel E. T. Mogannam?
Do you remember Malcom Hailey?
Do you remember T. E. Lawrence ("of Arabia")?
Do you remember Harry Luke?
Do you remember Leopold Amery?
Do you remember Harold MacMichael?
Do you remember Walter Guiness Moyne?
Do you remember Sydney James Passfield?
I can even ask do remember Herbert Samuel?
Do you remember Anthony Eden?
Do you remember George Rendel?
Do you remember Ernest Bevin?
Because we won't forget.
I forgot to mention that the above list is just a smattering of all the other British names that deserve to be noted for their cruelty, harm and endangerment toward Jews in during the first half of the 20th century and especially when Jews were being slaughtered by the millions during WWII.
shy guy...the list comprises of those who once ruled over us here in england...now usualy working for the BBC...the British people are not the same as these people...my father was an english soldier and brought me up admiring israel....and i am far from alone.Don't mistake the elite and the media with the british people.
Thud, I misunderstood the tone of your post as an attempt to disprove the contention of the article on Abu Gosh and to counter-claim that Israel had a jolly good time with the chaps who ruled our lives from the 20's through to 40's.
Instead, we agree to agree. ;)
shy guy...I am in no doubts as to the establishments position on Israel...your list reflects accurately and sadly on the state of affairs as to our leaders past involvement with the jewish people and the state of Israel...but as I have stated they are not the British people...we know our friends and we know our enemies despite the concerted efforts of the media here...I am glad we agree.
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