From: bdm@cs.anu.edu.au (Brendan McKay)
Newsgroups: talk.politics.mideast
Subject: Re: Solutions to the problem? (was Re: Sgt
Date: 31 Dec 1992 03:47:14 GMT
Organization: Australian National University
Distribution: world
Reply-To: bdm@cs.anu.edu.au
NNTP-Posting-Host: 150.203.23.70

In article 10508@colorado.edu, perlman@qso.Colorado.EDU (Eric S. Perlman) writes:
>In article <1hrhfvINNpa1@manuel.anu.edu.au> bdm@cs.anu.edu.au writes:
>>In article 1@utxvms.cc.utexas.edu, ifaz706@utxvms.cc.utexas.edu () writes:
>>>In article <1hlthpINNmvi@manuel.anu.edu.au>, bdm@cs.anu.edu.au (Brendan McKay) writes:

>>>	Brendan, you must be aware of al Hussainy's ideas during
>>>	the early 40's.  What do you think made him soften his 
>>>	attitudes after the war?

>>Yes, I am well informed of his war-time activities as a propagandist
>>and (slightly successful) collaborator with the Nazis.  However, I
>>believe Eric is referring to the claim that what he really wanted
>>was to physically exterminate the Jews of Palestine.  

>Either that or force them out, yes.  

>>I think a 
>>claim of that magnitude ought to be supported by some sort of direct 
>>evidence rather than vague innuendo based on his associations, but 
>>that is the only evidence I have seen from any time period.

>His collaboration with the Nazis was far more than just "slightly
>successful."  He sponsored a coup attempt in Iraq to install a pro-[Nazi]
>dictatorship.  

What does "sponsored" mean?  You are right if you mean only "approved".
It is also true that the Iraqi commission of inquiry gave him partial
indirect blame for the riots that followed the crushing of the coup
(in which a few hundred Jews and many others died).

>He raised a battalion of Muslims in Nazi-controlled
>Bosnia to fight alongside the SS.  

That's true.  

>He toured concentration camps and expressed approval.  

That's a claim you will need to provide evidence for.  I have heard 
of a visit by some of the Mufti's men to a camp in Germany (not
a "death camp"), but I don't know of any evidence of what they
saw or what they thought about it.

>That's pretty hefty evidence.  Especially only 
>three years after the shoah.

>>It is clear that he saw the Nazis as the best hope for nipping
>>the Jewish-state-to-be in the bud.  His ruthlessness and naivety
>>both show themselves clearly from that, but a genocidal wish does
>>not.  Not everyone who sought to be on the Nazi's good side in
>>the event of an Axis victory was party to all the Nazi's actions,
>>as the ex-PM of Israel could tell you.

>See above.

You are yet to establish more than very cicumstantial evidence
for a genocidal wish. 

>>As for the 1948 time period, Husseini's part in it has been rather
>>overblown.  The fact is, most of the Arabs of Palestine ignored
>>his call to arms (except in the direct defence of their own
>>villages).  Most of the "irregular" Arab forces in Palestine
>>during the 1947-8 war were volunteers from other countries.
>>I will also mention the large number of local peace agreements
>>signed between neighbouring Arab and Jewish villages.

>What matters the most in war, Brendan, is who has the guns.  He had the
>guns - and was responsible for the war even if many Palestinians did
>ignore his call to arms.

My comment was relevant because some people, including yourself,
like to use the Mufti's misdeads to colour attitudes towards the
Palestinian Arabs as a group.  That is actually why I bother about
the Mufti at all.  His war-time activities were despicable, to be
sure, but (provable) blame ought to be corrected directed.

>     Eric S. Perlman 				 <perlman@qso.colorado.edu> 

Brendan.




Newsgroups: talk.politics.mideast