Summary
Head of the National Defence Party from its founding in December 1934, and in Kanafani’s account the leading figure of the leadership’s right wing and of Transjordan’s presence inside the Palestinian national movement.
Details
- The National Defence Party, headed by Raghib al-Nashashibi, was founded in December 1934 and represented the new urban bourgeoisie and the senior officials (The 1936-39 Revolt in Palestine, PDF p.21 / printed p.40-41).
- With Amin al-Hussaini and Auni Abd al-Hadi, Raghib Nashashibi hastened to meet the British High Commissioner in 1936, and the Commissioner’s reports show the three confirmed they were prepared to end the revolt if the Arab kings asked them to do so, while denying this to the masses (The 1936-39 Revolt in Palestine, PDF p.23 / printed p.44-45).
- The Defence Party he led played the role of legal representative of the subservient Transjordan regime led by Amir Abdullah in the Palestinian nationalist movement (The 1936-39 Revolt in Palestine, PDF p.27 / printed p.52-53).
- Kanafani notes the British acted throughout on their conviction that al-Nashashibi could never be a substitute for the Mufti (The 1936-39 Revolt in Palestine, PDF p.28 / printed p.54-55).
Related pages
The 1936-39 Revolt in Palestine, National Defence Party, Amir Abdullah, Transjordan, Amin al-Hussaini, 1936-39 Revolt in Palestine