al-Najjada (Arabic: النجادة, or Munazzamat al-Najjada al-Falastiniyya) was a Palestinian Arab paramilitary scout movement formed in Jaffa, British Mandate of Palestine on 8 December 1945.[1][2] The organisation was headed by Muhammad Nimr al-Hawari as General Commander (al-Harawi had served in the British Mandate administration) and Rashad al-Dabbagh as Secretary General.[3] The al-Najjada HQ was on Railway Station Street Jaffa.[2] Its officers were mainly Arabs who had served in the British Army. During the lead into the 1948 war its membership numbered 2,000 to 3,000 but the organisation lacked arms.[4] The Palestinian Arab revolt of 1936–1939 led to an imbalance of power between the Jewish community and the Arab community, as the latter had been substantially disarmed.[5] The British had estimated al-Najjada strength as 8,000 by mid-1946.[6][7]
The inaugural proclamation of 8 December published in al-Difa’a read:-
al-Najjada is a national institution, the aim of which is to unite the youth and rally together, to arouse a national consciousness among them, to train them to obedience and discipline, as well as to link Palestine to its sister countries in a bond of unity that would guarantee the Arab a dignified and full life among nations of the globe as on their part they [the youth] spread the message of Arabism, Liberty, Fraternity and Equality.
al-Najjada considers Palestine an Arab country enjoying the rights and sharing the responsibility of the rest of the Arab countries
al-Najjada considers the Zionist movement as the most heinous crime known to history, seeing it rests on the principle of aggression and is sustained by animosity, having for its exponent first rate confederates in crime against all humanity.
al-Najjada bans and forbids regional bigotry, tribal and ideological zealotry.[2]
al-Najjada had 11 branches: Jaffa as HQ, Haifa, Acre, Nablus, Beersheba, Tiberias, JerusalemTulkarem, Gaza, Majdal and Nazareth. Each branch was subdivided into companies troops and patrols. Al-Najjada was particularly active in Southern Palestine. It was pledged to assist Palestinian society through the improvement of the “educational and moral standards” of Arab youth."[7] Training in al-Najjada consisted of; drilling, physical training, elementary military training (particularly rifle shooting) and indoctrination lectures on Arab nationalist ideology and Arab nationalism. Al-Hawari attempted to model the Najjada on the Haganah, but in practice its primary activity consisted of noisy parades in town squares; there was little if any military activity at all.[1] al-Najjada along with al-Futawa was seen as a potential nucleus of a disciplined Palestinian Arab national para-military organisation.
A three-person investigative committee was formed in October 1946 with Rafiq al-Tamimi (chairperson), Emil al-Ghury and al-Hawari, when after the 1946 Jaffa parade, Jamal al-Husseini insisted that the Palestinian Arab Youth organisations were to come under the direct control of the Palestine Arab Party (PAP). When the fusion of Husseini's al-Futuwa and al-Najjada was proposed arbitration was sought through Amin al-Husseini. The amalgamation was stalled when the al-Najjada membership raised a series of legal, financial and administrative arguments against the merger in an attempt to deter the investigative committee from completing the synthesis of the youth organisations.[7]
During the lead into the 1947 civil war in Mandatory Palestine, al-Hawari was in command of the local militia in the defence of Jaffa until he fled to Ramallah in late December 1947. Morris comments that al-Hawari was suspected to be a HIS informant.[8][9] al-Hawari had indeed met and discussed an agreement for Jaffa with Ezra Danin.[9] "Drawing the self-evident conclusion", he left for Egypt where Amin al-Husseini prevented his return and subsequently gained the control of Jaffa.[9] Nevertheless, in the process "al-Najjada [organisation] was destroyed,"[4] and the Palestinian Arab leadership entered the 1948 Palestine War without a national militia.[4]
^Marvin E. Gettleman, Stuart Schaar (2003) The Middle East and Islamic world reader, Grove Press, ISBN0-8021-3936-1 The Palestinian Revolt by Ted Swedenburg. (1988) p 177-182
Issa Khalaf (1991) Politics in Palestine: Arab Factionalism and Social Disintegration, 1939-1948 SUNY Press ISBN0-7914-0707-1
Haim Levenberg (1993) "Military preparations of the Arab community in Palestine, 1945-1948: 1945-1948" Routledge ISBN0-7146-3439-5
Benny Morris (2004) Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem Revisited, Cambridge University Press, ISBN0-521-00967-7
Morris, Benny (2008). 1948 : a history of the first Arab-Israeli war. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN978-0-300-12696-9.
Ilan Pappé (1992) The Making of the Arab-Israeli Conflict 1947-1951, I B Tauris, ISBN1-85043-819-6
Ted Swedenburg (1988) The Role of the Palestinian Peasantry in the Great Revolt 1936 - 1939. in Islam, Politics, and Social Movements, edited by Edmund Burke III and Ira Lapidus. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN0-520-06868-8 pp 189–194 & Marvin E. Gettleman, Stuart Schaar (2003) The Middle East and Islamic world reader, Grove Press, ISBN0-8021-3936-1 pp 177–181
May 08, 2024
najjada, arabic, النجادة, munazzamat, falastiniyya, palestinian, arab, paramilitary, scout, movement, formed, jaffa, british, mandate, palestine, december, 1945, organisation, headed, muhammad, nimr, hawari, general, commander, harawi, served, british, mandate. al Najjada Arabic النجادة or Munazzamat al Najjada al Falastiniyya was a Palestinian Arab paramilitary scout movement formed in Jaffa British Mandate of Palestine on 8 December 1945 1 2 The organisation was headed by Muhammad Nimr al Hawari as General Commander al Harawi had served in the British Mandate administration and Rashad al Dabbagh as Secretary General 3 The al Najjada HQ was on Railway Station Street Jaffa 2 Its officers were mainly Arabs who had served in the British Army During the lead into the 1948 war its membership numbered 2 000 to 3 000 but the organisation lacked arms 4 The Palestinian Arab revolt of 1936 1939 led to an imbalance of power between the Jewish community and the Arab community as the latter had been substantially disarmed 5 The British had estimated al Najjada strength as 8 000 by mid 1946 6 7 Al NajjadaالنجادةGeneral CommanderMuhammad al HawariSecretary GeneralRashad al DabbaghFoundation8 December 1945Dates of operation1945 1947DissolvedLate December 1947HeadquartersJaffa PalestineIdeologyArab nationalismPan ArabismAnti ZionismSize8 000 1946 3 000 1947 Battles and wars1948 Palestine War The inaugural proclamation of 8 December published in al Difa a read al Najjada is a national institution the aim of which is to unite the youth and rally together to arouse a national consciousness among them to train them to obedience and discipline as well as to link Palestine to its sister countries in a bond of unity that would guarantee the Arab a dignified and full life among nations of the globe as on their part they the youth spread the message of Arabism Liberty Fraternity and Equality al Najjada considers Palestine an Arab country enjoying the rights and sharing the responsibility of the rest of the Arab countries al Najjada considers the Zionist movement as the most heinous crime known to history seeing it rests on the principle of aggression and is sustained by animosity having for its exponent first rate confederates in crime against all humanity al Najjada bans and forbids regional bigotry tribal and ideological zealotry 2 al Najjada had 11 branches Jaffa as HQ Haifa Acre Nablus Beersheba Tiberias Jerusalem Tulkarem Gaza Majdal and Nazareth Each branch was subdivided into companies troops and patrols Al Najjada was particularly active in Southern Palestine It was pledged to assist Palestinian society through the improvement of the educational and moral standards of Arab youth 7 Training in al Najjada consisted of drilling physical training elementary military training particularly rifle shooting and indoctrination lectures on Arab nationalist ideology and Arab nationalism Al Hawari attempted to model the Najjada on the Haganah but in practice its primary activity consisted of noisy parades in town squares there was little if any military activity at all 1 al Najjada along with al Futawa was seen as a potential nucleus of a disciplined Palestinian Arab national para military organisation A three person investigative committee was formed in October 1946 with Rafiq al Tamimi chairperson Emil al Ghury and al Hawari when after the 1946 Jaffa parade Jamal al Husseini insisted that the Palestinian Arab Youth organisations were to come under the direct control of the Palestine Arab Party PAP When the fusion of Husseini s al Futuwa and al Najjada was proposed arbitration was sought through Amin al Husseini The amalgamation was stalled when the al Najjada membership raised a series of legal financial and administrative arguments against the merger in an attempt to deter the investigative committee from completing the synthesis of the youth organisations 7 During the lead into the 1947 civil war in Mandatory Palestine al Hawari was in command of the local militia in the defence of Jaffa until he fled to Ramallah in late December 1947 Morris comments that al Hawari was suspected to be a HIS informant 8 9 al Hawari had indeed met and discussed an agreement for Jaffa with Ezra Danin 9 Drawing the self evident conclusion he left for Egypt where Amin al Husseini prevented his return and subsequently gained the control of Jaffa 9 Nevertheless in the process al Najjada organisation was destroyed 4 and the Palestinian Arab leadership entered the 1948 Palestine War without a national militia 4 See also editGadna youth movement affiliated to the Haganah and to the Israel Defense Forces after 1948 Betar youth movement affiliated to the Irgun and to the Likud after 1948 Footnotes edit a b Morris 2008 pp 88 89 a b c Haim Levenberg 1993 p 129 Pappe 1992 p 223 a b c Morris 2004 p 29 Marvin E Gettleman Stuart Schaar 2003 The Middle East and Islamic world reader Grove Press ISBN 0 8021 3936 1 The Palestinian Revolt by Ted Swedenburg 1988 p 177 182 Morris 2008 p 89 a b c Khalaf 1991 p 143 Benny Morris 2004 p 111 a b c Gelber 2006 p 29 Bibliography editYoav Gelber 2006 Palestine 1948 Sussex Academic Press ISBN 978 1 84519 075 0 Issa Khalaf 1991 Politics in Palestine Arab Factionalism and Social Disintegration 1939 1948 SUNY Press ISBN 0 7914 0707 1 Haim Levenberg 1993 Military preparations of the Arab community in Palestine 1945 1948 1945 1948 Routledge ISBN 0 7146 3439 5 Benny Morris 2004 Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem Revisited Cambridge University Press ISBN 0 521 00967 7 Morris Benny 2008 1948 a history of the first Arab Israeli war New Haven Yale University Press ISBN 978 0 300 12696 9 Ilan Pappe 1992 The Making of the Arab Israeli Conflict 1947 1951 I B Tauris ISBN 1 85043 819 6 Ted Swedenburg 1988 The Role of the Palestinian Peasantry in the Great Revolt 1936 1939 in Islam Politics and Social Movements edited by Edmund Burke III and Ira Lapidus Berkeley University of California Press ISBN 0 520 06868 8 pp 189 194 amp Marvin E Gettleman Stuart Schaar 2003 The Middle East and Islamic world reader Grove Press ISBN 0 8021 3936 1 pp 177 181 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Al Najjada amp oldid 1204722734, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
