Ahmed Abu Shawar welcomed us, and said, "we are thankful for your presence and interest in Palestine. Solidarity is the tool to solve humanitarian problems in the world."
We learned that 60% of Jordanians are Palestinian. The "right of return" to Old Palestine is of utmost concern to the party, its members and most Jordanian Palestinians.Ahmed Abu Shawar started his story discussing the Balfour Declaration of 1917. "The British mandate was used to extend influence in this area of the world, [the Middle East]. Palestine was important to Britain, geographically and militarily." Mr. Shawar continued, "The British Empire organized with Zionists to move Jewish people from around the world."
Mr. Shawar indicated that the British government tried to diminish the viability of the Palestinians by manipulating the prices of their crops; when there was a high yield, prices would be driven upwards. When there was a low yield, prices would be lowered. This is the opposite of normal market trends. Palestinians who opposed these policies were punished.
General Secretary Ahmed Yusif explained that there were three revolutions: 1921, 1936, and 1939. These revolutions were crushed by surrounding them with troops.
Palestine was an advanced society and highly productive since the 1920's. They had an active textile industry and leather works. At one time Palestine was the sixth largest producer of citrus fruits.
Palestinians continually support peoples' revolutions against dictators and for international workers' rights, i.e. opposition to Spain's Franco, supporting oilworkers' strikes in Iran in the 1930s-50s, and opposition to the Nazis.
Before 1948 Jews and Palestinians lived side by side in the neighborhoods where Israel now stands. our GX group leader and interpreter, Khalid Jarrar, said his Palestinian grandmother still remembers the songs she learned in Hebrew as a child, playing with her Jewish neighbors.
In 1948, Palestinians called for a multi religious state with Jews, Christians and Muslims. the British stopped this. Instead, something changed, said journalist Shawar, "Zionist gangs, armed by the British Empire, massacred Palestinian civilians."
"British planes and tanks helped Zionists destroy 531 villages. About 800,000 Palestinians were forced to flee. The United Nations resolved to divide Palestine: 47% for Palestinians, 53% for Jews. The Jewish people comprised 6% of the population at this time."
Mr. Shawar and Mr. Yusif cited many examples of massecres on Palestinians in the farm fields during Ramadan, in the mosque, and in their villages. This was a systematic ehtnic cleansing of the Palestinians.
To Be Continued
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