1914 Arab Murder, Mayhem, and Massacre
Haqqi Bey al-Azm, secretary of the Arab nationalist group (Decentralization Party):
“Understand, dear brother, that [the Zionists] are marching towards their objectives at a rapid pace, thanks to the help of the Government and the indifference of the local population. I am sure that if we do nothing which is demanded by the present situation, they will achieve their objectives in a few years [in Palestine] where they will found a [Jewish State]. Then they will gravitate towards Syria, next towards Iraq and then they will have fulfilled their political programme….But by employing means of threats and persecutions – and it is this last means we must employ – by pushing the Arab population into destroying their farms and setting fire to their colonies, by forming gangs to execute these projects, then perhaps [the Zionists in Palestine] will emigrate to save their lives.”
Source: Madel, Neville J. The Arabs and Zionism Before World War I. Berkeley: University of California Press