A brief look at Communist developments in Egypt, Syria, and Palestine.

‘Advance of Communism in the Arabian Countries’ by Bob (Joseph Berger) from International Press Correspondence. Vol. 10 No. 49. October 30, 1930.

The results of the world economic crisis are making themselves very perceptibly felt in the Arabian countries. The Imperialists are everywhere increasing their pressure upon the working sections of the population, especially upon the workers and peasants. The agrarian crisis is completely ruining the Fellahin, as it depresses still further their already terrible low standard of living. There is general discontent and bitterness among the population; the radicalisation of the masses is proceeding at a rapid pace.

In this situation the official nationalist parties, at the head of which are the feudal land owners and the commercial bourgeoisie, supported mainly by the clergy, have proved a failure. Whether it be the “Wafd” in Egypt, the “Kutlat Wataniath” (the national bloc) in Syria or the “Ludchnath Tanfisiath” (executive committee) in Palestina, they all prefer to bargain with the imperialists, giving as a reason the misery of the masses, instead of mobilising these masses for fight.

This is the reason of the process which Communism has been making among the Arab masses in the last few months.

In this connection first mention should be made of the Communist Party of Syria. It has not contented itself with proclaiming its existence, but it has also commenced active work in the most important centres of the country. The acts of repression to which the French Government resorted by arresting dozens of workers have been in vain; the Special Court which it set up by special order and before which the arrested workers led by Fuad Shmali (who was arrested by MacDonald’s police in Palestine and handed over to the French imperialists) are to appear, is futile; the increased efforts of the police and spies have been without result the Syrian Communists are constantly gaining fresh sympathy, and the workers do not allow themselves to be intimidated.

The Syrian police would very much like to make o that only the Armenian emigrants (who are especially exploited and oppressed in Syria) are taking part in the movement. As a matter of fact, however, the Syrian Communist Party is developing its activity before all among the Arab masses, in spite of the hostility and incitement of the Christian parsons in the coastal district and of the Mohammedan Sheiks in the interior of the country.

The Communist Party of Palestine is also on the way to becoming a party in which elements from the native Arab population predominate The carrying out of the resolution of the E.C.C.I. on the “insurrectionary movement in the Arab countries” (16th October 1929) has become the basis of the Party line, and the fight against the right (nationalist) deviations thereby stands on the order of the day. The Party is making use of actions such as the ejectment of the Arab settlers from “Wadi Hawaras” in order to give concrete form to and popularise the slogan of the agrarian revolution and the union of the workers and peasants.

The third Communist Party of the Arabian countries, the C.P. of Egypt, is active above all among the town workers After long struggles it has again become consolidated and s once again coming before the public. The fresh persecutions to which Sidky Pasha is subjecting the Party are not able to hinder its progress.

In connection with the progress of Communism in the Arab countries there again arises the question, which has been already broached by the E.C.C.I., of a closer co-operation of these parties and a common leadership, say in the form of a federation. The fact of the close co-operation of the British and French imperialists whenever it is a question of suppressing the revolutionary movement suggests the necessity of such a communist co-operation. As soon as the preconditions therefor have been created in the different sections. the Arab Communist Federation as an instrument of the revolutionary movement in the Arab countries can be realised.

International Press Correspondence, widely known as”Inprecorr” was published by the Executive Committee of the Communist International (ECCI) regularly in German and English, occasionally in many other languages, beginning in 1921 and lasting in English until 1938. Inprecorr’s role was to supply translated articles to the English-speaking press of the International from the Comintern’s different sections, as well as news and statements from the ECCI. Many ‘Daily Worker’ and ‘Communist’ articles originated in Inprecorr, and it also published articles by American comrades for use in other countries. It was published at least weekly, and often thrice weekly.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/international/comintern/inprecor/1930/v10n49-oct-30-1930-inprecor-Virginia.pdf