FABRICATING ISRAELI HISTORY the 'New Historians'
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FABRICATING ISRAELI HISTORY 'New The Historians' Karsh Efraim Professor of Studies Mediterranean the at of University London CASS FRANK CO. & LTD PORTLAND, LONDON OR The Collusion that 3 Never Was exist history The facts of do for historian not any till he them. creates CARL BECKER One myths of the propagated by central the 'new historio- graphy' explicit that 'in is 1947 reached agreement an was between the Hashernites and the Zionists the carving up on following Palestine of the of termination the mandate, British that and this laid the foundation for agreement mutual during restraint continuing for 1948 and collaboration in the aftermath According myth, of alleged war'. this the to agree- reached meeting in November ment 17 1947 secret was a on between Acting the Head the Agency's Jewish of Political Department, Golda King Meir, Abdullah and Transjordan, of 'consciously deliberately and and frustrate intended to was the will the of international community, through expressed as the Assembly, United Nations General favour of creating in independent Arab States Palestine'. of in 'The part an ground for objection the mutual agreement common was a a the Palestinian creation of state', myth. the 'The to runs Jewish Agency particular in abhorred possibility, such a asserting that the of Palestinian creation would state a ideological the conflict perpetuate Palestine'2 in forcefully by Most Shlaim's articulated Avi Collusion Across Shlaim, Collusion, 1. p. Shlaim, of Partition, 2 Politics The viii. p. PappG Making 3 The of Arab-Israeli Conflict, the 118. p. Fabricating History 70 Israeli The Collusion that Never Was 71 Jordan, myth the this predicated is single the which episode renders Shlaim's collusion hollow. thesis There on cannot approach, namely, the allegedly identification of half be critical there Either there agreement. is is The an an one or none. supposedly which has affected history the event of of in both personal the agreement, and the at essence course at an profound particular this in levels, collective understanding the of the is way binds that a all involved case n course a partids Israeli-Palestinian conflict, if of the Arab-Israeli form in conflict. by another not and considered is them one or as ostensibly dealing While such, 30-yearolong with the the if of record legal has agreement full received yet not even intermittent Transjordan's formalization. between Whether King formal explicit covert informal, contacts tacit, or or Abdullah the and Zionist Shlaim's always written unwritten, book binding effec- is movement, the agreement in or an tively focuses period short the makers; of minds between the otherwise its the would been have it reached to on not run-up 1947-49 place. the War first and specifically immediate its in aftermath. More clinching lea•g he alleged the of the But 'collusion' aside contradiction, this traces the careful Meir- examination to a Abdullah of the conversation. documents by Shlaim used substantiate two the very to abridged paperback published claim of'collusion' In by Eliyahu edition Danin Ezra reports and Sasson, two an years later, Shlaim alleged down watered officials Zionist the of the who attended the easily meeting Zionist- two will nature understanding Hashemite explicit that 'a reveal Meir's clear Abdullah's and if territorial ambitions to to not response neces- binding sarily bypassing far less the Palestinians committal agreement.., Shlaim than believe. lets and Moreover was on us peacefully dividing territory the Meir's of verbal the British mandate the conversation, which report Shlaim own on between bring fails themselves'. the also He despite removed pejorative his 'collu- book in his keen to of its awareness though from title, the sion' insisting book's (he existence alleged that the the of cites this which part does report not 'did involve address least agreement the of elements the November meeting), proves-beyond at 1947 some asso- a published ciated with collusion'.4 shadow article In of Shlaim 1995, doubt in that Palestine divided 17 not an was on alleged watered down the the of November deal still further 1947. nature to 'unwritten agreement', while praising least, 'a but Last it reasonable the Agency Jewish which with not Abdullah an as allegedly and realistic for both expressed he strategy sidesL struck Yet the deal the 'division of regret Palestine' on was changing paperback totally for the of title the edition. 'Collusion the of existence of is such for deal months unaware any good alleged after word describe the traffic its conclusion: between the did to authorize to'divide it Meir as any not a as king Hashemite during Palestine' Zionist and the period the King, with the Hashemite and did movement it not approve 'forgetting' 1921-51', stated, he postfactum. unequivocally such his thesis that fact, action Meir's In with any conversation alleged Abdullah traced the collusion the bythe Abdullah-Meir discussed meeting, Agency Jewish Executiv• to was never If and the Meir dear 'a explicit reached Hashemite-Zionist intermittent and necessarily binding if not to contacts not as a whole, King with bypassing Abdullah agreement the Palestinians on peacefully dividing and Needless the of territory notion that 'not the of the agreement is British to mandate say, an binding' necessarily between themselves contradiction which constitutes bypassed she '•- in did also she terms not- a her movement. own of Shlaim, The Partition, Politics 4 xdii, 99. pp. • Shlaira, Shlaim, 'The Debate', The of 296, 5 Partition, Politics 298-9. 99. pp. p. The Collusion that Never Was 87 that would state include both banks of the Jordan, with me head, its and at which in army the the the and economy, legislature joint'. be will Noticing the by evoked this suggestion, unease Abdullah that stressed the Hebrew Republic would be dominated by Transjordan not but simply would be of Transjordanian the part monarchy. He did not for but simply explained press that the an answer in of such republic being formed, event kingdom his a THE ABDULLAH-MEIR MEETING: could be expanded embrace Greater Syria to and THE DANIN-SASSON REPORTS Saudi Arabia. even established Having these Mrs. methodological Meir drew fact flaws attention two the Shlaim's that in to the Palestine thesis, let the question Zionist under two the of consideration meeting by the accounts used UN and that at her was Shlaim- the hoping side for of Ezra reports Eliyahu Danin and resolution Sasson- that speak would establish was a two for themselves. FirstDanin's states, Jewish and by Arab, report, narrated Shlaim: and they that one wished as one to speak king only the to about based agreement such an In the the of on ensuing a Abdullah conversation course resolution. Abdullah he said understood that and it invited his join visitors thinking him to in they aloud: would be desirable immediately again to meet after the had discussed partition the in he and past inter- was UN pronounced decision its in order discuss how to ested know what their to thinking current they was might light the in of co-operate that decision. 'Over thirty the past have and years you grown this At point Abdullah asked how the Jews would regard strengthened yourselves and achievements your are by attempt him capture the Arab to of an Palestine? part many" [he said]. "It impossible is ignore and to you, Mrs. replied Meir they that would view such attempt duty it is an compromise with to Between a the Arabs you. favourable in light, especially if he did interfere a not with and there quarrel. is The quarrel you between is no the establishment of their and avoided state clash between the Arabs a and the brought British who here; and you forces his and theirs and, secondly, if he could declare that between the and British kept who have their you not his sole maintain law to purpose and order until the was promises Now, I to convinced that the you. British am UN could establish that in government was Now it a leaving, area. and be will left face face. Any are clash to we king's the be turn startled to and he sharply: answered 'But between will be disadvantage. to the In us our own I this for myself, want in order it area to to annex my talked past about partition. I partition that we to agree kingdom and do not to want Arab create State which a new will shame before not the Arab world when I me out come would plansand upset the enable Arabs my ride to defend on My me. it. to wish is take this opportunity to suggest to I ride, want be to ridden!" not He to also brushed aside for idea, a the future thoughL to of independent you an suggestion that he might objective his by of secure Hebrew Republic means of in part Palestine Transjordan within referendum a influence in which his a would be decisive. Fabricating 88 History Israeli The Collusion that Never Was 89 principles of possible Hashemite-Jewish understanding, a Asked if he Abdullah] [i.e., would be prepared designed to not reach to one as concrete Hence agreement. a a sign written the in agreement of his event avoiding of pressing a common for preferred his to an answer denominator being identified political, in economic option; hence concluding his remarks that concrete no and defence replied he affirmatively matters and. issues could be discussed after until the UN General asked them [i.e., his Jewish interlocutors] produce Assembly to had made decision. its bringing draft. In the meeting a end he to an re- iterated that discussions concrete only could take In Abdullah's thinking, partition 'that will shame not place me after the UN had made decision its that and before the Arab world' 'an independent meant Hebrew they again must meet the decision Republic soon as Palestine in of as part Transjordan within was State that a known.