Page "Arab Liberation Army" Paragraph 6

Another advantage to an irregular army was that it could be sent into Palestine well before the British officially withdrew from their mandate on 15 May 1948.

None of the Arab states were willing to declare war openly on the British.

Thus, Syria would not officially be opening hostilities against the British troops, who still bore responsibility for security in Palestine.

Furthermore, if the Arab countries failed to commit their armies to fight in Palestine — a possibility which seemed likely as Egypt agreed to participate only four days before the war began on 15 May 1948 — the Syrian government would still be active.

It would retain leverage in Palestine and be able to tell the Syrian public that it had done more than the other Arab countries to help the Palestinians.

Most importantly, however, the ALA was to be used as an instrument to nip Abdullah's Greater Syria plan in the bud and to keep him from expanding his state over half of Palestine.