Palestinian National Liberation League
Encyclopedia
The National Liberation League in Palestine was a political party in Palestine
, founded in early 1944 by Arab members of the Palestine Communist Party
(which had experienced a split between Jewish and Arab members the previous year), Bulus Farah
and his followers, and "other radical intellectuals and trade unionists." The founders included Haidar Abdel-Shafi
, Mukhlis Amer, Emil Habibi, Mufid Nashashibi
and Emile Toma
. It published the al-Ittihad
newspaper in Haifa
, a journal which still exists. It was the only Arab Palestinian party to support the 1947 UN Partition Plan, in line with the official position of the Soviet Union
.
In October 1948, After the formation of the State of Israel, the NLL merged with Maki
in an unusual way. Since both Arab and Jewish Communists still hoped to establish two states on the terms of the UN Partition Plan, it was decided that the Maki and NLL party organizations would merge in the areas that the UN had laid out for a Jewish state, while the NLL would continue to exist as an independent party in areas of Israel that were to have been part of an Arab state under the UN plan. NLL leaders were added to an expanded Maki Central Committee. In practice, the NLL quickly ceased to exist within Israel except in name, and in April 1949 al-Ittihad and its Hebrew sister paper, Kol HaAm
, quietly dropped all references to the NLL. On July 20, 1949, Egypt destroyed the remnant of the NLL existing in Gaza, arresting 33 people. In 1951, its members in the West Bank
joined the Communist Party of Jordan.
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
, founded in early 1944 by Arab members of the Palestine Communist Party
Palestine Communist Party
The Palestine Communist Party was a political party in British Mandate of Palestine formed in 1923 through the merger of the Palestinian Communist Party and the Communist Party of Palestine...
(which had experienced a split between Jewish and Arab members the previous year), Bulus Farah
Bulus Farah
Bulus Farah was a Palestinian trade unionist who founded the Federation of Arab Trade Unions and Labor Societies in 1942. Farah went to work in the Haifa workshops in 1925 as a fifteen-year-old apprentice and is also known as the author of a book on the railway workers of the post-World War I...
and his followers, and "other radical intellectuals and trade unionists." The founders included Haidar Abdel-Shafi
Haidar Abdel-Shafi
Haidar Abdel-Shafi was a Palestinian physician, community leader and political leader who was the head of the Palestinian delegation to the Madrid Conference of 1991.- Background :...
, Mukhlis Amer, Emil Habibi, Mufid Nashashibi
Mufid Nashashibi
Mufid Said Ahmad Nashashibi was, in 1942, was one of the founders of the Palestinian National Liberation League .Born in Jerusalem, Nashashibi was educated at St. George's School in Jerusalem, the American University in Cairo and Robert College in Istanbul...
and Emile Toma
Emile Toma
Emile Toma , was a political historian and philosopher and thinker.Emile was born in Haifa to an Arab Orthodox family in 1919. He studied in the Orthodox School in Haifa then he went to Jerusalem to the Zion College to complete his high school studies.He joined the Cambridge University and left it...
. It published the al-Ittihad
Al-Ittihad (Israeli newspaper)
Al-Ittihad is an Israeli Arabic language daily newspaper based in Haifa. Once considered the most important Arab media outlet in Israel, it is owned by Maki, the Israeli Communist Party, and was edited by a former Maki/Hadash Knesset member, Ahmad Sa'd until his death on 20 April 2010.-History:The...
newspaper in Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
, a journal which still exists. It was the only Arab Palestinian party to support the 1947 UN Partition Plan, in line with the official position of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
In October 1948, After the formation of the State of Israel, the NLL merged with Maki
Maki (historical political party)
Maki was a communist political party in Israel. It is not the same party as the modern day Maki, which split from it during the 1960s and later assumed its name.-History:...
in an unusual way. Since both Arab and Jewish Communists still hoped to establish two states on the terms of the UN Partition Plan, it was decided that the Maki and NLL party organizations would merge in the areas that the UN had laid out for a Jewish state, while the NLL would continue to exist as an independent party in areas of Israel that were to have been part of an Arab state under the UN plan. NLL leaders were added to an expanded Maki Central Committee. In practice, the NLL quickly ceased to exist within Israel except in name, and in April 1949 al-Ittihad and its Hebrew sister paper, Kol HaAm
Kol HaAm
Kol HaAm was a Hebrew language newspaper in Mandate Palestine and Israel, owned by the Israeli Communist Party.-History:Established in 1937, the paper appointed Communist Party member Esther Vilenska editor in 1943, and chief editor in 1947...
, quietly dropped all references to the NLL. On July 20, 1949, Egypt destroyed the remnant of the NLL existing in Gaza, arresting 33 people. In 1951, its members in the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
joined the Communist Party of Jordan.