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While wishing you every success and good fortune in this great mission, which stirs up the resolve to defend the homeland and whose efforts have become an object of appreciation and admiration throughout the Arab world, it hopes that the Palestinians will have a share in these efforts.

The Arab Higher Committee, which knows much of your struggle in Palestine, what you accomplished with the late martyred commander Ahmad Abd al-Aziz in glorious fedayeen actions, and your contact and familiarity with the Palestinian fighters, feels that this matter will receive your care and attention. It therefore proposes that battalions be formed from the finest Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip. It hopes that you will find in them the sincerity, discipline, and obedience that satisfy you, that they will live up to your expectations, and that they will act under your direction. May God support you with His help and success.

Please accept our highest greetings and abundant respect.

1 Safar 1373 10 October 1953

President of the Arab Higher Committee for Palestine

*

This was followed by a memorandum submitted to Staff Major Husayn al-Shafi‘i, minister of war and navy, dated 17 Ramadan 1373 (2 May 1954), which read:

Arab Higher Committee for Palestine S/132/3/263

To Staff Major Husayn al-Shafi‘i, minister of war and navy

Peace, God’s mercy, and His blessings be upon you. The Arab Higher Committee for Palestine submits to Your Excellency the following memorandum concerning the Gaza area and certain Palestinian affairs, hoping that you will kindly give it your attention.

The repeated Jewish attacks on the Palestinian Gaza area and on the Arab countries hostile to the Jews, and the daily evidence of the Jews’ tyranny and their drive to achieve