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THE ARAB HIGHER COMMITTEE OF PALESTINE
The Political Committee of the General Assembly of the United
Nations decided on May 7, 1947, without a dissenting vote, to invite
the Arab Higher Committee to testify before it on the Palestine
question.
The invitation was extended after an assurance from the dele-
gation of the United Kingdom that the Arab Higher Committee represents
a considerable portion of the Arab population of Palestine. Moreover,
a special sitting of the General Assembly was convened, under pressure
of the Arab states, in order to issue the invitation in a form which
would invest the Arab Higher Committee with the same diplomatic status
as the Jewish Agency for Palestine, the internationally recognized
representative of the Jewish people.
It is important, in view of the extraordinary emphasis placed
on the testimony of the Arab Higher Committee, to examine its
origin, its membership, its leadership and its purpose.
Committee Appointed by Arab League
The Arab Higher Committee of Palestine is a creature of the
Arab League, comprising Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Transjordan, Saudi-
Arabia and Yemen. The head of the Arab Higher Committee is the ex-
Mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin el-Husseini, a full partner of the Axis
before and during World War II, and an escaped prisoner of war who
has found asylum in the Palace of the King of Egypt.
The Arab Higher Committee, representing the six Arab parties
of Palestine, came into existence in 1936. A year later it was eg-
tablished that the Mufti and his associates in the Arab Higher
Committee were responsible for the 1936 riots which took a toll of
hundreds of British, Jewish, and Arab lives. Accordingly, the
Palestine government in 1937 declared the committee illegal and
ordered it disbanded. Some of its members were arrested and sent
to Seychelles. Others, including its chairman, the Mufti of Jeru-
salem, escaped to Syria whence they continued to direct Arab oper-
ations. During his exile in Syria, the Mufti even succeeded in
liquidating most of the Arab leaders of Palestine who opposed him
and his policies.
Until 1943, no Arab Higher Committee existed in formal form.
The Mufti, in the interval, had moved from Syria to Iraq where he
organized the revolt against the British in 1941. When that failed,
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"ocrText": "THE ARAB HIGHER COMMITTEE OF PALESTINE\nThe Political Committee of the General Assembly of the United\nNations decided on May 7, 1947, without a dissenting vote, to invite\nthe Arab Higher Committee to testify before it on the Palestine\nquestion.\nThe invitation was extended after an assurance from the dele-\ngation of the United Kingdom that the Arab Higher Committee represents\na considerable portion of the Arab population of Palestine. Moreover,\na special sitting of the General Assembly was convened, under pressure\nof the Arab states, in order to issue the invitation in a form which\nwould invest the Arab Higher Committee with the same diplomatic status\nas the Jewish Agency for Palestine, the internationally recognized\nrepresentative of the Jewish people.\nIt is important, in view of the extraordinary emphasis placed\non the testimony of the Arab Higher Committee, to examine its\norigin, its membership, its leadership and its purpose.\nCommittee Appointed by Arab League\nThe Arab Higher Committee of Palestine is a creature of the\nArab League, comprising Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Transjordan, Saudi-\nArabia and Yemen. The head of the Arab Higher Committee is the ex-\nMufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin el-Husseini, a full partner of the Axis\nbefore and during World War II, and an escaped prisoner of war who\nhas found asylum in the Palace of the King of Egypt.\nThe Arab Higher Committee, representing the six Arab parties\nof Palestine, came into existence in 1936. A year later it was eg-\ntablished that the Mufti and his associates in the Arab Higher\nCommittee were responsible for the 1936 riots which took a toll of\nhundreds of British, Jewish, and Arab lives. Accordingly, the\nPalestine government in 1937 declared the committee illegal and\nordered it disbanded. Some of its members were arrested and sent\nto Seychelles. Others, including its chairman, the Mufti of Jeru-\nsalem, escaped to Syria whence they continued to direct Arab oper-\nations. During his exile in Syria, the Mufti even succeeded in\nliquidating most of the Arab leaders of Palestine who opposed him\nand his policies.\nUntil 1943, no Arab Higher Committee existed in formal form.\nThe Mufti, in the interval, had moved from Syria to Iraq where he\norganized the revolt against the British in 1941. When that failed,"
}