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This document is an internal memo that Curiel wrote when the dmnl was deliberating what should be its first official message to the Communist Party of Israel. The memo is an analysis of the issue in eight parts. It is written exclusively from the Arab viewpoint—particularly from the Egyptian point of view—as the Israeli viewpoint on the matters discussed can be easily understood. Readers should bear in mind that this analysis was written for internal party purposes and exclusively for dmnl members who knew Curiel and his positions well. Consequently, Curiel did not feel the need to fully elaborate on some themes. The translation produced is of almost the entire item, with only minor omissions, indicated by ellipses. a. the importance of the question TheissueofrelationsbetweenIsraelandtheArabstatesingeneral—andEgypt in particular—is of vital importance for the following four reasons: (i) current relations between the Arab states and Israel constitute a grave danger to peace in the Middle East (We deem this thesis [to be] self-evident and see no need to elaborate on it here.); (ii) current Arab-Israeli relations are a major obstacle to the Arab peoples’ national liberation. [. . .]; (iii) current Arab-Israeli relations effectively allow the imperialists and their agents in the Arab countries to organize acts of provocation designed to direct the Arab peoples away from their struggle for freedom. The campaign of 1948—which had this as one of its principal objectives —could be repeated at any moment. Moreover, the Israeli army—with a strength of around 100,000 fighters and equipped by the Americans—does not figure in the imperialist plans merely to act against democratic countries; Israel is additionally destined to play the role of “policeman” in the Middle East against movements for democratic liberation; and (iv) finally, current relations between Israel and Arab states are a major obstacle to the struggle of the people 28 | What Ought to Be the First Official Message from the dmnl to the Israeli Communist Party? Excerpt from Henri Curiel, “Note sur les relations entre Israel et les Pays Arabes,” August 1953, in “Inventory of the Papers of the Egyptian Communists in Exile [The Rome Group],” International Institute of Social History, Amsterdam, No. 338. The DMNL and the Israeli Communist Party | 181 in Arab countries for democratic regimes. Every time their democratic demands make themselves felt too keenly, it is effectively child’s play for the reactionary Arab governments in power to provoke incidents that distract the attention of the masses or—if necessary—proclaim martial law, for example. In brief, these are the main dangers in the current situation. There is, however, a long list of other dangers that are worth mentioning even if [only] in passing: (i) current Arab-Israeli relations facilitate a politics of armament with all the corresponding dangers to democracy—that is, the army is destined to crush any popular movement; (ii) this rearmament carries financial costs and economic difficulties such as those arising from “blockades,” from the cessation in trade with neighboring countries, the costs of occupation, etc.; and (iii) the reinforcement of national chauvinism and the existence of foreign territories occupied by Egyptian forces are also a source of danger.4 But it is not fear alone—or the dangers to our people—that ought to make us find a solution to the problem of Arab-Israeli relations. We must first and foremost play the role that has been given to us to save the Arab nation of Palestine, threatened by total destruction. We must then play the role that has been given to us to establish between the Arab peoples, on the one hand, and the Jewish and Arab peoples of Israel, on the other hand, those links of fraternity that should exist between all peoples. The result of all of the above is that the problem of Arab-Israeli relations is vital to us. It will soon surpass the problem of our relations with Sudan. That is why the dmnl’s message to the Israeli Communist Party should have marked both the end of our unpardonable passivity and an important step toward accomplishing our tasks in this area. b. the failure and the treachery of the arab ruling classes Our obligations are all the more imperative since in this area the ruling strata have failed so resoundingly and have shamefully betrayed the interests of Palestine ’s Arabs that they otherwise claimed to be defending. Moreover, the ruling powers utilize the current antagonism between the Arab states and Israel for...

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