Anti-Zionist League in Iraq

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The Anti-Zionist League in Iraq (

Arabic: عصبة مكافحة الصهيونية في العراق) was an organization in Iraq, active in 1946. The organization was founded by a group of Jewish members of the Iraqi Communist Party in 1945.[1][2]

Foundation

The petition to found the Anti-Zionist League was signed by eight individuals from

Anglo-American Commission of Inquiry on Palestine.[1][4]

Political line

The Anti-Zionist League sought to propagate amongst the Iraqi population to avoid confounding Jews with Zionism, as a measure to confront "communal hatred".[1] Zionism was, according to the organization, a colonialist phenomenon.[5] The Anti-Zionist League called for a fully independent Palestine, an Arab democratic government, end to land transfers to Zionists and prohibition of Zionist migration.[6] According to the Anti-Zionist League British and U.S. imperialism was responsible for the rise in sectarian violence and nationalism.[7]

Leadership

Amongst the founders of the organization were Yahuda Siddiq (Central Committee member of the Communist Party) and Masru Qattan and Yusuf Zalluf.

Central Committee of the Communist Party.[1]

Membership

The organization was dominated by young Jewish communists.[5][9] Jewish members of the Communist Party were required by the party to join the organization (those who did not could be accused of Zionist leanings).[1] The membership of the Anti-Zionist League was, however, not exclusively Jewish and communist. There were also some Christian and Muslim members, and some of its members were Progressive Nationalists.[3]

Al-'Usbah

It published a daily newspaper al-'Usbah (العصبة, 'The League'), which had a circulation of 6,000 copies.[1][8][10]

Activities

During its three months of legal existence, the Anti-Zionist League organized twenty-two public meetings. In Baghdad up to 5,000 people could take part some of these meetings. Two public meetings were held in Basra, with thousands of participants.[11]

Ban

Al-'Usbah was banned in June 1946, shortly after its foundation.[9] The organization was declared illegal by the Iraqi government in July 1946.[1] Members of the organization were arrested and charged with the crime of Zionism.[9]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Walter Laqueur (1956). Communism and Nationalism in the Middle East. Praeger. pp. 185, 190.
  2. ISBN 978-0-275-97733-7
    .
  3. ^ a b c ʻAbd al-Laṭīf Rāwī (1986). عصبة مكافحة الصهيونية في العراق،1946-1945: دراسة ووثائق : اليسار العراقي والمسألة الفلسطينية ء. Dār al-Jīl. p. 23.
  4. ^
    ISBN 978-1-135-24654-9
    .
  5. ^
    ISBN 978-1-84467-854-9
    .
  6. ISBN 978-0-8156-2497-4
    .
  7. ISBN 978-0-674-07609-9
    .
  8. ^
    ISBN 978-0-8108-6568-6
    .
  9. ^
    ISBN 978-0-7914-2980-8
    .
  10. ISBN 978-965-342-548-4
    .
  11. ^ ʻAbd al-Laṭīf Rāwī (1986). عصبة مكافحة الصهيونية في العراق،1946-1945: دراسة ووثائق : اليسار العراقي والمسألة الفلسطينية ء. Dār al-Jīl. p. 145.
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