Charles Malik in 1949 on the Future of Israel vis-à-vis the Arab World

Charles Malik, Doctor of Philosophy from Heidelberg, former President of the UN General Assembly and drafter of its Charter. Here is what he predicted 75 years ago, in 1949— something to ponder deeply, given that this is what Lebanon and the Arab world are experiencing today.

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In a small book entitled Report on the Current Situation — 5 August 1949, republished by An-Nahar in 2002 and prefaced by the Lebanese journalism professor Ghassan Tueni, Charles Malik talks about the ‘phases of the Zionist movement’, ‘America and the Arab world’ and ‘the destiny of Lebanon’. These three themes are linked to Israeli strategies and their repercussions on Lebanese and Arab realities, as well as their complexities and dilemmas.

Malik begins his report with a description of the Arab situation, saying: ‘The Palestinian question has been and remains the most serious of all Arab questions, and its outcome is therefore that of the entire Arab world. The Palestinian catastrophe is a clear image of the Arab catastrophe, and the weaknesses that led to the Arab failure in Palestine are the same weaknesses that have led and will lead to complete defeats in the Arab world.”

Malik: ‘Everything that has happened so far in Palestine and concerning Palestine is only the beginning. As for the conclusion, it will either be the domination of the Arab world and its colonisation by the Jews, or its renewal as a modern world, respected and interacting with living civilisations in the creation and preservation of values. Either way, the near future will be darker than the present and more dangerous than the past.”

Why is the future darker and more dangerous?

Malik explains this by saying: ‘Israel’s entry as a member of the United Nations is not an act that puts an end to Jewish ambitions. The State of Israel, in its present situation and borders, is not a refuge for the invading Jewish power, but a gathering centre for it and a breeding ground for its growth, a starting point for its expansion and assault on neighbouring and distant Arab countries, politically, economically and socially. Jewish claims that in fifty years there will be only two states in the world — America and Israel — are not to be taken lightly.”

Malik: ‘I am certain that our future is one of Jewish colonisation and enslavement, and no one will mourn our enslavement.’

What about the dangers?

According to Malik, ‘the phase that ended with the creation of Israel is a preparation for the next complementary phase, which aims to effectively colonise and enslave the Arab world. In this phase, it will be a question of preparing for expansion in the Arab world and deepening the takeover of its resources.”

Where do the United States stand in all this?

Malik replies: ‘We have to interpret the aid and development projects emanating from the United States as being, for the most part, decoys aimed at appeasing the indignation of the Arab world. The window dressing seems attractive, translating empathy towards the Arab world and an interest in its development, but the aid is essentially linked, conditionally, on the perpetuation of the Jewish state.

What are Israel’s future strategies?

Malik answers this question by saying: ‘The Zionists have succeeded, but they will not be satisfied with this partial success, because their ambitions will not stop at the piece of Palestine they have conquered. The second phase is to prove that they are the chosen ones to develop the East, that they are the real force within it, that they represent its interests and determine its will.

The whole of Palestine does not satisfy the needs of the Jews; Israel wants to control the Arab world and be the heir to all its predecessors, whether Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Turkish or under [the British] mandate. Thus, Zionism wants to be recognised in a future era as the Mandate. The Arab world is Zionism’s living space, and I say: if nothing changes in the Arab world (temporary solutions, epidermal susceptibilities, disunity, drunkenness with the past, improvised policies, lack of real reforms), then I am certain that our future is one of Jewish colonisation and enslavement, and no one will mourn our enslavement.”

What advice do you have for Lebanon and the Lebanese?

Malik: ‘There is a danger that a secret agreement will be formed between Israel and certain short-sighted Lebanese, leading to a coup d’état in favour of Israel, but such a coup d’état will inevitably lead to chaos, then to Syrian intervention, followed by Israeli intervention, and therefore to a new war, and Lebanon will never come out the winner.’

Is there a greater danger lurking?

According to this premonitory report, there are innumerable dangers. Among these dangers, Malik says: ‘The day will come, and it may be soon, if not already, when nothing in the Arab world will be resolved or settled without Jewish consent, and then governments, systems and people will be maintained or overthrown at the whim of the Jews. A president or head of government will be formed or fall because Tel Aviv and world Jewry based in New York and other Western capitals want it that way.”

So what does the future hold?

Malik goes on to say: ‘The day will come when the Jews will succeed in convincing the West and some of our politicians and thinkers that they are the interface between the West and the Middle East in matters of economics, town planning, culture and politics. The day will come when all the economic, urban planning and rescue projects will be based largely on the Jewish will, aimed at forcing the Arabs to recognise Israel and cooperate with it. These projects will be designed to strengthen primarily Israel’s foundations and make it the cornerstone of the economic edifice and urban progress in the Middle East.”

How can we meet this challenge?

Malik links the factors confronting the Israeli challenge supported by the states of the East and West with the need for a liberating reform movement on an Arab scale. He asks: ‘Where can this liberation and reform movement be born in the Arab world? I doubt very much that any one Arab country can be the forerunner or carry its flame to the others. The only Arab countries left are Lebanon and Syria. I’m certain that the renaissance we want can only happen in Lebanon or Syria, or both. Is Lebanon aware of its responsibilities in this area, and is it prepared to cooperate with the new Syrian regime, without compromising any of its freedoms and independence?”

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Francis Goumain – Translation from a French version