February 5, 1948 Grand Mufti of Jerusalem Visits Damascus

“Haj Amin el Husseini visited Damascus at the beginning of February and had talks with President Kuwatly. On 4-5 February he attended meeting of the Arab League Military Committee there, presided over by Taha el Husseini with Subhi el Hadra present. Further in the military organization of Palestine it was decided to divide the country into four major fighting zones. The Mufti proposed that each zone should have two commanders of equal status, one nominated by the Arab higher executive and other by the Arab league military committee. Taha el Husseine, however on a single commander for each zone and finally it was agreed that under General Ismail Safwat as commander in chief, Abdel Kader el Husseini should command the Jerusalem zone, Hassan Salame the Jaffa Jerusalem road areas, Fawsi Kawujki the Nablus Tulkarm area and the southern sector should be operated under Egypt. A delegate of the Arab higher executive is to be attached to each commander. The Mufti returned to Cairo in time for the ten-day Arab League Council meeting there on 7 February.”

Source: British in the Fortnightly Intelligence Newsletter No. 61 issued by HQ. British Troops in Palestine: Nation