Fawz.

This is coolbert:

This is the type of headline that creates a stir in some quarters:

"PLO Official: We Supported the Nazis in WWII"

"Former political bureau head of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) removes any doubt over Arab support for Nazi Germany."

Supporters of the fascist Nazi regime in Germany? The Arab?

Not so fast ya'll.

NOT so much supporters of the German and Adolph Hitler but rather seen more as anti-British.

From that time of British Mandated Palestine in the aftermath of the Great War [WW1] until the creation of the State of Israel, various Palestinian leaders in opposition to British rule finding common cause with the German, seeking aid and assistance.

But not necessarily pro-Nazi.

This man in particular receiving very prominent mention in the book by Leon Uris: "Exodus".

Fawz el-Kaukji. [various spellings of the name exist.]

"Fawzi al-Qawuqji . . . was Arab nationalism's leading military figure in the interwar period, based in Germany during World War II, who served as the Arab Liberation Army (ALA) field commander during the 1948 Palestine War."

Fawz a man with a degree of military training and experience. Commander of the Arab Liberation Army [ALA] in 1948. The ALA irregular fighters combating the State of Israel in 1948.

A man who indeed associated with Nazi higher-ups during the Second World War [WW2], but hardly to be described as a Nazi or even a Nazi sympathizer.

Fawz as a military commander hardly even effective, rather the opposite.

From Trevor Dupuy:

"Fawz el Din el Kaukji . . . To some Arabs who served with him, Kaukji is remembered as a courageous and inspirational leader; other have called him 'an unprofessional clown'. There seems to be truth in both thumb-nail descriptions. However, on balance his performance was generally poor."

"Whatever Kaukji's combat experiences with the Turkish Army may have been in World War I, they had certain not equipped him to be the organizer, administrator, or strategic planner of a guerrilla army."

"He was unable . . . to instill discipline in, or impose order on, a collection of highly individualistic Syrian, Palestinian, and Bedouin Arabs."

This from both the period of the Arab Rebellion against British rule [1936-1939] and the once more during the Israeli War of Independence.

Kaukji and others similar not necessarily seen as fascists or Nazi adherents?

Rather, the attitude was "the enemy of my enemy is my friend". Meaning Germany as in opposition to the English.

[P.S. Devoted readers to the blog be aware this entry originally posted as a raw draft. Corrections having been made, my apologies to one and all!]

coolbert.