Anti-Zionist League in Iraq

The petition to found the Anti-Zionist League was signed by eight individuals from Baghdad on September 12, 1945.^[3] The government approved the petition on March 16, 1946.^[3] Whilst the Communist Party was illegal at the time and the National Liberation Party (considered a front organization for the Communist Party) had been refused legal registration, the Iraqi government allowed the Anti-Zionist League to operate as a legal organization. The reason is said to have been that the government hoped to use the organization to represent Iraqi Jews towards the Anglo-American Commission of Inquiry on Palestine.^[1][4]

The Anti-Zionist League sought to propagate amongst the Iraqi population to avoid confounding Jews with Zionism, as a measure to confront "communal hatred".^[1] Zionism was, according to the organization, a colonialist phenomenon.^[5] The Anti-Zionist League called for a fully independent Palestine, an Arab democratic government, end to land transfers to Zionists and prohibition of Zionist migration.^[6] According to the Anti-Zionist League British and U.S. imperialism was responsible for the rise in sectarian violence and nationalism.^[7]

Amongst the founders of the organization were Yahuda Siddiq (Central Committee member of the Communist Party) and Masru Qattan and Yusuf Zalluf.^[8] Yusuf Zhilkha headed the organization.^[4] Zakki Basim, a non-Jew, acted as the liaison between the organization and the Central Committee of the Communist Party.^[1]

The organization was dominated by young Jewish communists.^[5][9] Jewish members of the Communist Party were required by the party to join the organization (those who did not could be accused of Zionist leanings).^[1] The membership of the Anti-Zionist League was, however, not exclusively Jewish and communist. There were also some Christian and Muslim members, and some of its members were Progressive Nationalists.^[3]

It published a daily newspaper al-'Usbah (العصبة, 'The League'), which had a circulation of 6,000 copies.^[1][8][10]

During its three months of legal existence, the Anti-Zionist League organized twenty-two public meetings. In Baghdad up to 5,000 people could take part some of these meetings. Two public meetings were held in Basra, with thousands of participants.^[11]

Al-'Usbah was banned in June 1946, shortly after its foundation.^[9] The organization was declared illegal by the Iraqi government in July 1946.^[1] Members of the organization were arrested and charged with the crime of Zionism.^[9]

• Jewish Anti-Zionist League