Army of the Holy War

Army of the Holy War
source
Name	Army of the Holy War
Native name	جيش الجهاد المقدس
Dates	1947–1948
Area	Mandatory Palestine
Ideology	Arab nationalism, Palestinian nationalism, Pan-Islamism
Leaders	Abd al-Qadir al-Husayni, Hasan Salama
Allies	Arab Liberation Army, Muslim Brotherhood, Arab League
Opponents	Haganah, Irgun, Lehi, United Kingdom
Battles	1947–1948 civil war in Mandatory Palestine, 1948 Arab–Israeli War

Army of the Holy War was a Palestinian Arab paramilitary force active during the 1947–1948 civil war in Mandatory Palestine and the initial phase of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. Formed by the Arab Higher Committee and led by prominent nationalist figures, it sought to combat Zionist forces and prevent the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine. The group operated primarily in the central highlands around Jerusalem and the Lydda-Ramla area, engaging in key battles before its effective dissolution following the death of its commander in early 1948.

Origins and formation

The Army of the Holy War was established in late 1947 by the Arab Higher Committee, the central political body for Palestinian Arabs, following the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine. Its creation was a direct response to the escalating violence after the UN General Assembly passed Resolution 181. Key figures in its formation included Haj Amin al-Husseini, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, who leveraged his networks across the Arab world to secure funding and political support. The force aimed to unify disparate local militia groups and youth gangs under a centralized military command to oppose the Yishuv's organized forces like the Haganah and Palmach.

Objectives and ideology

The primary objective was the military defeat of Zionist paramilitaries and the preservation of Mandatory Palestine as an independent Arab state. Its ideology was a blend of Palestinian nationalism, Arab nationalism, and Pan-Islamism, framing the conflict as a jihad to defend Arab and Muslim land. The group rejected both the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine and the continued presence of the British Mandate authorities. It viewed the struggle as part of a broader Arab cause, seeking legitimacy and support from neighboring states and entities like the Arab League and the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.

Organization and leadership

The force was organized into regional battalions centered on key towns and was nominally under the control of the Arab Higher Committee. Its most prominent field commander was Abd al-Qadir al-Husayni, a charismatic leader who commanded the Jerusalem sector. Another key leader was Hasan Salama, who led forces in the Lydda-Ramla-Jaffa coastal plain. While it attracted several hundred full-time fighters, its strength relied heavily on local village militias and foreign volunteers. Coordination with the externally formed Arab Liberation Army under Fawzi al-Qawuqji was often strained due to political rivalries and competition over resources.

Major operations and campaigns

The Army of the Holy War was involved in significant combat operations during the 1947–1948 civil war in Mandatory Palestine. Key engagements included the Battle for Jerusalem, where it attacked Jewish convoys along the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem road like at Bab al-Wad. Forces under Hasan Salama clashed with the Haganah in the countryside around Jaffa and Lydda. Its most notable, yet ultimately fatal, operation was the attempt to capture the strategically vital Kastel hill in April 1948. The death of Abd al-Qadir al-Husayni during the Battle of al-Qastal was a catastrophic blow to the group's morale and operational coherence.

Dissolution and legacy

The organization effectively disintegrated following the death of Abd al-Qadir al-Husayni and the subsequent fall of key Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem to forces like the Haganah and Irgun. The formal entry of regular Arab state armies—including those of Jordan, Egypt, and Syria—into the conflict with the start of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War in May 1948 rendered its remnant forces obsolete. Its legacy is that of a symbol of indigenous Palestinian Arab military resistance, though its failure highlighted the lack of unified political and military command that characterized the Arab side. The group's history is often examined in studies of the Nakba and the collapse of Palestinian Arab society.

Category:Paramilitary organizations Category:1948 Arab–Israeli War Category:Defunct organizations based in Palestine