The Three Deported Arab Leaders

Each of the three deported Arab leaders reflects a slightly different shade of Palestinian nationalism. But all three have adopted recently the more extreme line of the Palestine Liberation Organization, that is, rejection of any negotiations with Israel or this stage.

The most interesting figure is certainly Hebron Mayor Fahed Kawasme, once considered a moderate. but recently the champion of the most extreme attacks on the Israeli occupation of the territories. Kawasme was on unknown figure in the territories until 1976, when he succeeded the influential Sheikh Mohammed Ali Al baabari as the Mayor of Hebron. Until then he served as an agricultural engineer in the civilian administration, which is part of the Israeli Military Government.

He was elected as Mayor in April, 1976, due to an unexpected political change. Jaabari, who was the Mayor of Hebron for 40 years – and was noted for his close cooperation with the Military Government — resigned due to old age. The most likely person to succeed him was Dr. Ahmod Natshe, who was deported by the authorities a few days before the elections.

Kawasme, who was number two on the Natshe list, suddenly found himself at the head of the list — and he won all 10 seats of the local council. In the beginning, the authorities believed that the calm which characterized the Jaabari period would continue — for Kawasme, with his civil service background and his moderate appearance, certainly gave the impression that he would continue this way.

TRANSFORMATION OF KAWASME

In fact, Kawasme lived up to these expectations, at the beginning of his tem. He knew how to maneuver between the pressures of the extremists and the Israelis. Military Government officials often complimented him for this, and praised his municipal achievements.

But last year he showed the first signs that he aspired to become a political figure on a Palestinian scale. He met for the first time with PLO leader Yasir Arafat, without prior approval by the Military Government. The government refrained from taking any action against him following the meeting.

Ever since the signing of the Camp David accords in 1978, Kawasme become a member of the National Guidance Committee — which was set up as the leading body of the Arabs in the administered territories. For months he continued to adopt a moderate line, facing criticism by other mayors such as Karim Khalaf of Ramallah and Bassam Shaka of Nablus.

He become one of the more influential leaders in the Committee — which gradually became politically independent from the PLO. Contrary to the past, the leaders no longer followed blindly the dictations from the PLO. This became apparent when the National Guidance Committee recommended a mass resignation by all mayors to protest the intended deportation of Shaka last year — contrary to the advice given by Arafat, who feared the Israelis might use the opportunity to get rid of all PLO supporters in the West Bank municipalities.

Only two months ago did Kawasme adopt the most extreme line. Following the government decision to settle Jews in Hebron, Kawasme presided over a protest rally in Hebron in which he mode strong anti-Israeli comments. He said at that rally that he would rather be deported than see Jews settle Hebron.

He said he would support resettlement of Jews in Jewish properties in Hebron only after Arabs are allowed to return to their homes in Jaffa, Haifa and other previous Arab-populated places in Israel. In a recent newspaper interview he explained: “The policy of the Begin government has mode me into an extremist.”

Mohammed Hassan Milhim, the second deportee, was the Mayor of Halhoul, a town near Hebron, since 1976. Milhim, with a European appearance, fluent in English, was often interviewed by the foreign media here — always adopting a rejectionist view toward Israel. He come from an educated family, known for extremist views. His brother, Dr. Mustapha Milhim, was deported eight years ago for incitement and anti-Israel propaganda.

Milhim, too, was a member of the National Guidance Committee, but was always considered one of the more extremists there, together with Khalaf and Shaka.

TAMIMI WAS KNOWN AS RELIGIOUS LEADER

The third deportee was Sheikh Rejeb Buyud Tamimi, the Kadi (religious judge) of Hebron. Tamimi was considered a leading religious figure, but he was not known as a political figure. However, he was involved in several clashes with the authorities. He involved himself mainly with internal activities, such as debates with the local leftist groups in Hebron and drives calling for the return to Islam.

Tamimi mode the strongest speech in the Hebron rally when he called, in an emotional address, for freeing the country from the Zionists, specifically mentioning Haifa, Acre and Jaffa.

With the deportation of the three, the leadership of the West Bank is more than ever in the past in the hands of Shaka, and Khalaf.