__________________________________________________________
The Loss of Cilicia
Published
in Al-Zawba’ah: Issue 9; vol. 2; November 1998
(by Dr. E. Melhem)
After the San Remo Conference, which allotted to
France a mandate of type “A” for the northern
half of Syria, French troops occupied the
district of Cilicia on the northern frontier of
Syria and a region to the east of it; under the
terms of the Sykes-Picot Agreement of 1916, the
sphere of French control was to have included
these areas.
The revival of Turkish power under Mustafa
Kemal produced a Franco-Turkish dispute over the
frontier between Turkey and Syria. This dispute
led to fighting between the Turkish nationalist
forces and French troops in Cilicia.
In order to avoid the costs and consequences of
a large-scale campaign and due to “the unsettled
state of Anglo-French relations in the Near
East,” France decided to end the fighting by
signing an agreement with the Kemalist
Government.
Thus, on October 20, 1921, the French diplomat,
M. Franklin Bouillon, signed in Ankara “the
Franklin-Bouillon Agreement, by which “France
agreed to evacuate Cilicia and certain other
districts.” France was also allowed, under the
terms of this agreement, to keep its control
over the region of Alexandretta on the condition
that it would give it a special administrative
regime. Thus, Article 7 of the agreement
provided that:
A special
administrative regime shall be established for
the district of Alexandretta. The Turkish
inhabitants of this district shall enjoy every
facility for their cultural development. The
Turkish language shall have official
recognition.
In what conditions could the loss of Cilicia
and then Alexandretta have been averted? In
fact, the loss of Cilicia, Alexandretta,
Palestine, and other Syrian territories would
have been averted had the Syrian nation been
united and empowered by the weapon of national
consciousness. All the national losses and
disasters could have been averted had Syria had
a nationally sound government willing to protect
the nation’s rights and interests.
The Loss of Palestine
Published in Al-Zawba’ah: Issue 9; vol. 2; November 1998 (by Dr. E.
Melhem)
The loss of Palestine to
the Jews was the outcome of a long-term,
systematic plan. This plan was declared by the
first Zionist Congress at the concert hall of
the Basle Municipal Casino, Switzerland, in
1897. On the 29th August of that year,
participants at this Congress, which Theodor
Herzl had called, declared the establishment of
the World Zionist Organization and its plans;
the Basle Programme. Thereafter, Jews of all
persuasions, left and right, religious and
secular, combined their efforts and worked
together towards achieving the aim of Zionism as
stated in the Basle Programme.
The aim of Zionism was to create for the Jewish
people a home in Palestine secured by law. Of
course, there were disagreements among the Jews
as how to realize this aim... Some advocated
overt action in the international arena to
obtain a charter, recognized by the world
leadership, granting the Jews sovereignty in
Palestine. Some emphasized practical means of
attaining the goal, and others advocated
concurrent action on both tracks: political
activity coupled with practical endeavour in
Palestine... There were even some who pledged
their efforts and resources to constructing a
national-religious educational system in the
light of the Torah and its commandments...
etc...
The commonly-held goal of creating a Jewish
state was ultimately attained in 1948. The Basle
Programme of 1897 provided the guidelines for
the work of Zionism, from its foundation till
the establishment of the Jewish State.
In his speech of 16th May, 1949, the founder of
the Syrian Social Nationalist Party referred to
this Jewish endeavour by saying:
The
Jews did not come suddenly to Palestine and
capture it. They founded, a long time ago, a
Zionist cause, and it became one conscious will
with specific objectives. Then, it went forth to
achieve its purpose, and its action was quick
and effective, while the Syrian and Arab forces
were fumbling about, with their clashing targets
and mentalities, ending in debasement before the
Zionist organized forces.
The
possibility of altering this outcome depends on
all of us. It could be altered if the entire
nation were resisting the Zionist danger.
Obviously, this danger is not restricted to
Palestine alone, but spreads to the rest of the
nation. Therefore, it is the responsibility of
the nation in its entirety to face this danger.
This necessitates that we unite our efforts,
hearts and souls around one national cause. We
must overcome our divisions and work as one
national community.
The SSNP endeavours to attain this end. It
seeks to renovate our nation on the basis of a
new system and to accustom us to the principle
of will - “the will of people that wants
sovereignty over itself and over its country.”
Sa’adeh
says:
If
we expect to repulse the enemies and push them
back whence they came, our hope lies in this
national system which is preparing, building and
unifying the souls and the will which every
individual in the Social Nationalist movement
realizes and embraces with consciousness, true
understanding and joint cooperation, with no
veiling of the eyes, no doubts in the soul and
no muddle in the language and concepts, but with
one will and one plan...
