Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-09-23
Arab Leaaue Rift

The reported rift between majority OF
the Arab League and the IraqTrans-
Jordan combination over setting up pro-
may forecast fateful dissolution of any
important semblance of unity among the
Middle East governments. Such de-
velopment could be unfortunate to pros
poets of long-term sterilization of this
vital crossroads of the world.
The Arab League came into full being
in 1915 with the joining of seven Middle
East governments into rather loose fed
Grafton rejecting their common national
more apparent than real until the deep
ening issue of Zionism in Palestine drew
the members into closer relationship
against common irritant. Even then the
opposition demonstrated in the name of
the League was not uniformly shared by
the members with Syria, Trans-Jordan and
Egypt being the militant front
Shortsightedly, from their viewpoint,
the Arab nations neglected at the time the
date to create even provisional govern
mental machinery for the disputed terri
tory Relying instead on force of arms
they Nave been conspicuously unsuccessful
against the demonstrated Jewish strength
on the field of battle In this effort, Alb
dullah and his Trans-Jordanian Arab
Legion have been the only Arab force of
any effectiveness. In view of this mon
arch's longtime aspirations for an ex-
panded sovereignty, it is not surprising
that he now displays a determination to
maintain his present position inside the
Palestine frontiers.
In certain respects, Abdullah's position
is logical and realistic one. One of the
basic weaknesses of the Arab peoples in
the Middle East has been the existence of
many weak states. The creation of an
additional one would merely extend this
unwholesome condition. Abdullah has long
recognized this element of weakness in
the Middle East and, whether for selfish
reasons or not, his espousal of greater
state to combine Trans-Jordan with parts
of Syria, Lebanon and Palestine was calcu-
lated to overcome the condition. He has
not and will not receive League support
to any idea of carving out portions of
Syria and Lebanon but the Palestine
take the initiative in reaching out for
some or all of that country.
AS to whether the proposed government
is intended, in theory at least, to cover all
of Palestine or only the portions outside
the partition boundaries of Israel reports
on the League announcement this week
are not clear. Abdullah is reported as con-
tending that the plan implies recognition
of partition and this is the reason, specious
or not, given for his opposition. Middle
East authorities here contend that such
an Interpretation is implausible and that
no member of the League would support
such INTENT that Israel is not and never
will be recognized by the Arab govern
ments and that in their eyes provisional
Setup would have jurisdiction over Pa1es-
tine in its preparation entirety
If the full force of the United Nations
is to be thrown behind partition. however,
Abdullah may again be applying greater
realism than his Arab League colleagues.
BY withholding Endorsement of belated
provisional Arab government he may gain
support of the United Nations for contain
ment of Israel without committing himself
to any recognition of the Jewish state. He
could then retain his military influence,
and through it his political interest. in
the remainder of Palestine. If this re-
suited in effect in a greater Trans-Jordan
it still would provide the Arabs with
stronger bulwark against the feared
further expansion of Zionism in the Middle
East than would nonviable new Arab
state.
A further bulwark would be submer-
gence of differences within the League
and joint effort to strengthen the politi-
cal and economic structures of the men,
Der nations.