January 16, 1948 Palestine Liberation Army

“ The ‘Palestine Liberation Army’ is reported to be organized in four ‘divisions’, though as yet little is known of these beyond their names, which are ‘Qiadet el Yarmuk’ (or Holy Battle Brigade), ‘Haj Amin’ (named after the Mufti), ‘Fawzi Kawukji,’ and ‘Palestine Federation’. The training centre at Qatana outside Damascus is working to capacity, and there is good reason to suppose that training is going on in other parts of the country as well, assisted by the Syrian Army. Volunteers from universities and schools, probably numbering some 5,000 in all, are being trained in elementary military subjects, though their supplies of arms and equipment are at present very limited. For the regular forces, the Government passed, in December, a conscription law, whereby all men over the age of 19 must do up to two years’ military service, followed by 18 years on the reserve. Exemption from this service is said to cost £1,000 but it is not known how many have as yet taken advantage of the concession.”

Source: Thus the Weekly Intelligence Report No. 45 issued on January 16,1948 by the HQ British Forces in the Middle East (M. E> L.F.) reported: Nation