Nanyang 1931: From piglets to giants

Chapter 264 "Rescuing our Arab brothers is our unshirkable mission as Israeli Jews"

Haifa.

Just as the Palestinians and the surrounding Arab countries were sharpening their knives, preparing to overthrow this new Jewish regime and drive all the Jews into the sea.

No one expected that the Southern Association for Regional Cooperation, which had always had a good relationship with the Arabs, at least no grudges in the past or in the present, and had even had some cooperation in World War II, would suddenly support the Jews in a high-profile manner and directly send troops to station there.

At this time, they were clearly fighting a fierce battle with the French army.

What no one knew was that at that time, there were more than just SAARC and Israeli people in Haifa.

"Hello, Mr. Al-Alawish. It's an honor to meet you. Please allow me to express my highest respect for you. I greatly appreciate your political stance: 'Religion belongs to Allah, but the homeland belongs to all, national, not regional; Arab, not sectarian; independent, not oppressed.'"

On the side, Alawish looked at Mr. Gu who extended his hand to him affectionately. For a moment, he was numb and his heart was filled with mixed feelings.

He glanced at Zheng Yi, who was smiling and acting as a middleman, and after hesitating for a while, he took the initiative to extend his hand and shook hands with the two of them using a more Western etiquette (doctrine does not allow men and women to shake hands).

Zheng Yi then introduced the person next to him and said, "Mr. Alawish, do you know this person?"

Alawish nodded meaningfully and gave the short man next to him a big hug. "I'm so glad to see you here, my brother, Habib Bourguiba."

Zheng Yi laughed heartily. "You two are both true heroes, rare in the Arab world. I might as well put it bluntly: the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Come, come, to celebrate our happy cooperation, let's have a drink, Mr. Alavish and Mr. Bourguiba. You can have milk tea instead of wine."

Alawish suddenly smiled with relief and said, "No need. It's up to the host. I'll drink with you too."

Bourguiba: "Then I'll drink too."

President Gu: "Alright! Hahahaha, let's drink together. On behalf of us Jews, let me make a statement. From today on, we will fully support your anti-colonial cause."

Alawish, a national hero of Syria, once organized a major anti-French uprising that dealt a heavy blow to the French. He has extremely high prestige, but he is also a thorn in the side of the French.

It’s a pity that the new government, which is now nominally independent, no longer wants to continue competing with the French. Instead, it has some ideas about the Jews. Although it praises them highly, it does not give them any real power.

As early as when Zheng Yi was in Bangkok, he arranged for Li Xiaoshi to bring people to Penang to give speeches and raise funds. At the same time, he secretly colluded with the Syrian Prime Minister Kouat S, bypassing a group of so-called members of the Syrian Parliament, and secretly planned to directly establish an anti-French military government.

Habib Bourguiba, Tunisia's national hero.

This man is also quite legendary. He was born into an intellectual aristocratic family and went to university in France. During his college years, he was spotted by a wealthy French widow who was much older than him. She married him with a generous dowry and successfully climbed to a relatively high position in Tunisian politics.

According to the French understanding: you come from a comprador family, go to school in France, and your wife is a secular representative of the French. You should be a loyal running dog of my French Empire.

Little did people know that this man idolized Kemal, the founding father of Turkey, and was determined to achieve national independence. Marrying a French wife did not prevent him from fighting the French to the death.
In 1934, he established the New Constitutional Liberal Party, united the grassroots people, set up group after group in rural areas, counter-encircled the cities occupied by the French, organized workers' strikes in the cities, and did whatever he could to disgust the French.

The most important thing is that this is also a true leader of the Arabs who also has an international vision and is not bound by doctrine. He was captured by the French before World War II and imprisoned in a Paris prison. He was released only after the Germans entered Paris.

Since you were anti-French, you gave him to the founder of Mohist thought, Mr. Mo from Italy. Mr. Mo was overjoyed and sent him back to Tunisia to form an army to fight against Free France.

Unexpectedly, this Arab anti-French hero had a great vision of the overall situation. He believed that Germany and Italy could not win the war with their strength, and that Tunisia must stand on the side of the victor. He even announced his support for Free France!
Of course, the condition is that France will allow Tunisia to become independent after victory.

The French made this promise to almost all of their colonies during World War II.

Of course, that didn't stop after the war. Instead, they intensified their exploitation of the colonies, squeezing them dry and draining them of their blood. Their exploitation of the colonies was ten times greater than before the war. Their lack of morality was so great that it is difficult to describe them in words.

Especially this year, when France is suffering from a severe famine, do people in Tunisia still have the delusion of having enough food to eat?
After all, Bourguiba was a clear anti-fascist hero. The French had some shame. After the victory, they did not put him in prison, but only kept him under 24-hour surveillance. After two years of fighting wits and courage, Bourguiba finally escaped from Venice.

He visited brother Arab countries such as Jordan, Egypt, Iraq and Syria.

"You have all gained independence, yet you all say that Arabs are one family. So please help me, your brother. With my personal prestige, if you give me some money and some guns, I will raise the flag of rebellion and drive out the French colonizers."

These countries all said: "Brother, you are right. We Arab countries should help each other."

So they chose to form an alliance, buy weapons from France, and fight against Israel.

And this is the advice Zheng Yi gave to Mr. Gu and Mrs. Mei.

Aren’t countries like Jordan and Egypt buying weapons from Britain and France to attack you?
Buy weapons from me to support Alawish and Bourguiba!

Isn’t the slogan of Jordan and Egypt to save the Arabs? Aren’t Arabs brothers?

You can also shout this slogan!

This is not their exclusive word, whoever calls it first gets it!

The conflict between Jews and Palestinians cannot be reconciled. It is a dead end, and it is impossible for Zheng Yi to allow Jews and Palestinians to coexist peacefully.

But Palestine does not represent the Arabs.

Egypt and Jordan are united in their fight against you, so why do you have to fight them? They fight theirs, and you fight yours.

What exactly caused the First Middle East War?

Objectively speaking, it is natural for Palestinians to fight Israelis, and there is nothing to say about it. But it is a bit confusing that countries like Jordan, Syria, and Egypt also get involved.

You say it's because of the brotherhood among church members? That's a really untenable excuse.

Because you cannot explain why the believers, while being indignant towards the Jews, turn a blind eye to their compatriots who were ravaged and massacred by the French, and even buy weapons from the French in order to fight Israel.

Our Palestinian compatriots are brothers.

Are Tunisian brothers no longer brothers?

Are Morocco and Algeria, Tunisia’s neighbors, no longer brothers?

In Algeria's war against France, more than one million people died in the war, and it is known as the most cruel and tragic war of independence in human history.

A Middle Eastern nation, relying on unyielding willpower and virtually no assistance from foreign powers, burying the French Fourth Empire with its own hands. It's insane, but couldn't Nabil see this? Wasn't he an idealist? Didn't he feel pain when he saw his fellow Arabs suffering?
No matter how hateful the Jews were, at least during this period they did not carry out indiscriminate planned genocide against the elderly, the weak, women and children.

Even when the Jews were at their most insane, they were not that bad. Objectively speaking, Zheng Yi also felt that the Jews were really bad, but if compared with the French during this period, they seemed much more kind-hearted.

For Israel, just a little help can bring huge political benefits. At least, when Egypt and Jordan want to attack it, it will definitely not be able to raise the banner of Arab national unity.

What the hell is unity?

As long as Syria and Tunisia take action before Egypt and Jordan, the entire Arab world will definitely follow this war.

If Egypt and Jordan want to take action against Israel again at this time, at least Israel can say that you are actually the running dogs of the French, helping the French bully their Tunisian and Syrian brothers.

At least it can stir the water.

The State of Israel was indeed founded within a large circle of Arab countries.

However, this large circle of Arab countries can be divided. They don't have to be divided into Sunni or Shiite. They can be divided into French colonies and British colonies.

Israel does not even have to pay too much cost to do this. With a little effort, it can at least gain the favor of all French Arab colonies.

If Tunisia could really gain independence through armed struggle, then the anti-colonial war would definitely spread to Morocco and Algeria, and these three countries would definitely be pro-Israel after independence.

If Syria can really take over Lebanon and unify the Levant with the support of SAARC and Israel, and cooperate with SAARC to establish a SAARC Arab city in Haifa, wouldn't the entire geopolitical circle around Israel be stable?
If you declare independence at this time, who would object?

To put it bluntly, only Egypt and Jordan are left.

In Egypt, the Egyptian Young Officers Corps has been established in this time and space. General Na is determined to overthrow the puppet king. If anti-colonial revolutions break out in Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria one after another, it is impossible that Egypt will not be affected.

Both anti-France and anti-British movements are anti-colonial and anti-imperialist, so it is not impossible for Israel to lend a hand.

Although I have a small territory, a small population, and am weak without an army, I am rich and can actually help. The only country left is Jordan.

The Jordanian royal family is a pure puppet of the British.

Who knows who will be the winner by then.

Of course, the Palestinian people are also very pitiful. In this whole chess game, the interests of almost all countries in the Middle East are taken into consideration, but the interests of Palestine are not taken into consideration.

But let it be. World War II had just ended, and in the 40s, there were so many pitiful people who deserved sympathy. How could Zheng Yi possibly sympathize with them all?
Zheng Yi shared his strategy with President Gu, Mrs. May, and other first-generation Israeli leaders, and everyone thought Zheng Yi's idea was good.

To repeat, the Israeli leaders of this period really had no intention of showing off their power in the Middle East. Giving them a piece of land, allowing them to stay and survive there, and recognizing their country was almost all they asked for.

Only a psychopath would want to bully his neighbors all day long.

Of course, this will deeply offend France.

But again, the Jews during this period had an aura of political correctness, and the United States and Britain were both happy to see the dismantling of French colonies. In fact, France was no less anti-Semitic than Germany before the war.

The Marshall Plan has not yet started. If it really starts, it will be the US government that will approve the money, but the ones who actually distribute the money will be the American bankers.

And aren't those American bankers all Jewish?

What can France do with the Jews? Does it want the Marshall Loan anymore?
As for SAARC.

He is willing to help out in anything that can cause trouble for the French.

Although SAARC would have to pay a certain cost and even send a group of instructors, the French believed that SAARC purchased warships in order to send troops to fight them in Vietnam. They were really overthinking it.

It doesn't matter where you hit.

Objectively speaking, the Middle East is far more important to France than the French East Indies, whether in terms of geopolitics, military security, economic benefits, or even simply from a domestic political perspective.

Syria is the crossroads of the Middle East, and its geopolitical status is almost well known to modern people.

Tunisia, the pearl of the Mediterranean, faces Italy across the sea. It used to have a more famous ancient name called Carthage.

Besiege Wei to save Zhao?

And it is very important that the anti-French movement in Tunisia and Syria can serve as a good example to inspire the independence movements of other countries and nations in the Middle East, especially in North Africa.

If France suppresses these independence movements, it will not only further disperse France, a poor imperialist power that is suffering from famine, but the French army that SAARC will face will include 300,000 foreign mercenaries.

The vast majority of these foreign mercenaries came from North Africa.

At that time, SAARC will use planes to drop some leaflets on them about how the French suppressed local rebels in North Africa. Why does he just not believe it? The French can still fight the Vietnam War.

Incidentally, he can also spread the influence of SAARC to the Middle East and even North Africa.

Of course, the Americans will definitely be dragged into this matter in the later stages. It is such a big plate that it is easy for SAARC and Israel to choke if they want to divide the whole cake. They will definitely have to give the Americans a few bites as well, but that is a story for later.

"Mr. Alavish, within a month, our SAARC Malay Army will gradually enter the Israeli region to assist with training. You must gather as many of your former subordinates as possible within a month. With our support, you can directly launch a military coup, dissolve Parliament, confiscate French assets, and arrest French citizens. Once you have captured them, you can give them to me."

"One month from now, we at Nameng will be responsible for supplying you with weapons. Israel will dispatch no fewer than two brigades, and the Malay Legion will dispatch at least one brigade, plus some air force cover, to support your attack on Beirut, liberate Syria from the Maronites, and liquidate the French colonists and compradors one by one."

Alawish: "Thank you. We are willing to auction off those French companies and assets and let Jews and Southeast Asian Chinese bid for them. In the future, Syria will need Israel and SAARC to guide its economic development."

Zheng Yi: "You're welcome. After this is accomplished, Haifa will officially join the SAARC. At the same time, Haifa will welcome a large number of Arabs to live here. We will jointly invest here to build a large-scale oil refinery and chemical plant, as well as a corresponding Chinese worker industry chain. At the same time, we will also develop a large number of service industries here."

Mr. Gu said: "We sincerely hope that the Syrian people can live in harmony with us Jews forever. In the future, we will work together to develop Haifa and make this city a witness to the friendship between us Jews and Arabs, okay?"

Alawish: "Of course, it's our honor."

Zheng Yi then said to Bourguiba, "Within a month, the SAARC Air Force will take off directly from the Tel Aviv airport. Under your leadership, you will lead our SAARC elite to parachute in and overthrow the colonial government of Tunisia. Is that okay?"

Bourguiba: "That's absolutely no problem. I will gather my old subordinates in advance. However, subversion is easy. If the French retaliate on a large scale..."

Gu said: "We will block any large-scale retaliation. The combined air forces of Israel and SAARC will do their utmost to help you harass French maritime transport in the Mediterranean."

Zheng Yi: "You don't have to worry too much. The French now have 400,000 troops fighting our SAARC in Asia. Their warships are all rented from the Americans. They are also suffering from a severe famine at home. How much strength can they use to fight you?"

"Of course, this is your Arab independence cause after all. The most I can do is give you a loan so you can buy me weapons. If a war really comes to an end, you Arabs will still have to shed your own blood."

"Tunisia alone is definitely not enough to stop the French army, but if you add your neighboring Morocco, Algeria, and even Chad, at least in terms of weapons, I will lend you as much as you want. At the same time, I will also send an officer advisory group and some elite troops to the company level to teach you.

The war will definitely have to be fought by you Arabs yourselves. The cause of national independence cannot be handed over to others. We can provide you with assistance, but it is only assistance. It is you who will truly fight the French. Bloodshed and sacrifice are inevitable."

Bourguiba: "Of course, Mr. Zheng, please don't underestimate us. Arabs are a warlike people and are by no means cowards. For the sake of our great cause of independence, are we afraid of sacrifice?"

Zheng Yi nodded when he heard this, but did not comment.

This kind of thing is actually difficult to say. The Arab people are quite interesting. They look scary when they are capable of fighting, and they also look scary when they are useless. Without considering the generation gap in weapons, they are basically in a Schrödinger state where they can't beat anyone and can't be beaten by anyone. To be honest, he doesn't know whether they can be trusted or not.

Mrs May then added: "We in Israel will be responsible for military supplies and even military pay. We have raised a total of $300 million in loans for you. You can purchase any supplies in the United States and have them shipped by American freight companies.

Of course, these aids are loans, and after victory in the war, they will be repaid with confiscated French assets and shares in your oil fields."

Bourguiba: "Oil fields? We... our country doesn't have any decent large oil fields."

Zheng Yi laughed. "Why don't you ask how the Ghawar oil fields came about? If I tell you you have them, then you have them. When the time comes, you Arabs, we Southeast Asian Chinese, and the Jews, we will all work together to develop these oil fields."

"But if you don't mind, I would like to add the city of Tunis (the city and the country have the same name) in Tunisia to the SAARC and make it a city directly under the jurisdiction of the SAARC, just like Haifa, jointly managed by Jews and Arabs."

"You know, we, the SAARC, are non-state actors and will not infringe upon your national sovereignty. The oil fields, mineral deposits, and ports that we exploit will all be considered your national assets. We will establish a state-owned holding company to invest in them, and we will manage the entire city of Tunisia based on equity distribution."

"After all, we have invested so much, and we need certain measures to ensure that our investment will not be wasted. I hope you can understand."

At this time, even if Zheng Yi really came up with some humiliating treaty for him to sign, Bourguiba would not hesitate. After all, compared with the great shortcomings and virtues of the French, how much more could he sell out his country?

Tunisia has been engaged in re-export trade since the Middle Ages. Its commercial civilization is actually very high, and its people are relatively the most secular among Arabs. The economic value of the Port of Tunisia is actually not much different from that of Singapore in terms of location.

This place later became the most secular country in the Middle East, and it was also the country with the highest degree of democratization and the highest per capita education.

It is very suitable for SAARC to take it for itself.

However, it was also the country where the Arab Spring first broke out.

Facts have proven that the more secular and democratic the Middle East is, and the more educated its people are, the easier it is for them to be fooled by the West, and the more miserable their lives will be. But that's another story.

If the Port of Tunis could fall into Zheng Yi's hands, he was confident that he could at least incorporate the entire North Africa into their SAARC commodity sales market, and even use it as a lever to enter the Southern European market.

The man is in love and the woman is willing, the gangster has money and the prostitute has time. The entire strategic plan is a win-win situation with only benefits and no disadvantages for SAARC, Israel, Syria and Tunisia. What is there to hesitate about?

The secret alliance was signed here, and Israel, SAARC, Syria, and Tunisia agreed to jointly fight against France one month later.

Four pairs of big hands clasped together and embraced each other.

Bourguiba and Alavis: "Thank you."

Zheng Yi: "You're welcome. A friend of a friend is an enemy. I'm mainly fighting against the French."

President Gu: "There is no need for this. Saving the Arabs and fighting for their freedom and happiness is the unshirkable mission of us Israeli Jews."

(End of this chapter)