Summary
The labour contractor who largely controlled the Haifa port labour force and refused to shut the harbour down during the 1936 general strike, arguing his workers’ jobs would be taken permanently by Jews and Hawranis; the Jewish Agency, Lockman reports evidence, was secretly paying him to keep the harbour open (Comrades and Enemies: Arab and Jewish Workers in Palestine, 1906-1948, lines 2951-2954).
Details
- Amin al-Husayni and other prominent nationalist leaders came to Haifa on several occasions to persuade Abu Zayid to shut the harbour; he insisted Haifa’s circumstances differed from Jaffa’s — at Haifa some 200 Jews were employed through labour contractors, the April strikers had been quickly replaced by Jews and Hawranis, and the nonstriking porters were lodged at the port under close official supervision (lines 2951-2954).
- Lockman records that this was certainly not Abu Zayid’s only consideration: he had long-standing personal and business links with Jews, especially local Histadrut officials, and there is evidence the Jewish Agency was secretly disbursing considerable sums to him (and presumably to others) to keep Haifa harbour open (line 2954; Chapter 6 note 3).
- In August 1936, when some Arab port workers finally struck, Abu Zayid fled to Lebanon to escape nationalist threats on his life (lines 2955-2958).
Related pages
Comrades and Enemies: Arab and Jewish Workers in Palestine, 1906-1948, Haifa, Histadrut, 1936-39 Revolt in Palestine