NCJ Number
63538
Journal
NEW MIDDLE EAST Volume: 19 Dated: (APRIL 1970) Pages: 19-24
Date Published
1970
Length
6 pages
Annotation
THE MOTIVATION, ACTIVITES, CLAIMS, AND GOALS OF THE FEDAYEEN ARE EXAMINED IN RELATION TO ARAB STATES' NATIONAL POLICIES, ISRAELI POLICIES, AND MORE INDEPENDENT STANDARDS.
Abstract
THE FEDAYEEN CLAIM TO BE THE HERO OF THE PEOPLE BORN IN THE HOUR OF NEED. ITS ACTIVITIES AND RELATIONSHIP TO MAJOR ARAB INSURGENT GROUPS, SUCH AS THE PALESTINE LIBERATION GROUP AND AL FATAH, ARE EXAMINED. SOME OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FEDAYEEN ARE THE CLAIM OF BEING THE SAVIOR OF PALESTINE, POLITICAL AND MILITARY ACTS WITHIN ARAB COUNTRIES WITHOUT THE SANCTION OF THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS, THE ROMANTICIZED VISION OF THE FEDAYEEN ABOUT THEIR ACTIVITIES AND GOALS, AND THE USE OF THE GUERRILLA COLUMN AS THE KEY TO ACTION RATHER THAN CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE OR RANDOM TERROR. ONE CLAIM IS EVALUATED AS VALID: THE REVITALIZATION OF THE IDEA OF PALESTINE AS A NATIONAL STATE IS BEFORE THE LEADERSHIP OF THE ARAB WORLD. IN EVALUATING THE MYTH OF THE FEDAYEEN, THE PAPER POINTS OUT SEVERAL PROBLEMS: THE FEDAYEEN VISION IS SELF-CENTERED AND SELF-CONTROLLED; ITS ANALYSIS OF THE ENEMY, MAINLY ISRAEL, IS INACCURATE; MEMBERS HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO BUILD A PERMANENT RESISTANCE NETWORK; AND THEY MAKE UNVERIFIED CLAIMS OF MILITARY VICTORIES AND POLITICAL ASSASSINATIONS. THE FEDAYEEN WAR OF NATIONAL LIBERATION WAS POORLY PLANNED. THE FEDAYEEN INCURSIONS INTO ISRAEL ARE, IN FACT, LARGELY CONTAINED THROUGH ISRAELI INTELLIGENCE, POLICE WORK, INTIMIDATION, AND RETALIATION. (RFC)