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KHAMSIN was founded in 1975 in Paris,
France, and jointly edited by Leila Kadi of Lebanon and the late Eli Lobel, a
member of The Israeli Socialist Organization (Matzpen). The first four issues
(1,
2,
3,
4)
were published in French by Editions Fraçois Maspero (Paris). Four people
joined the editorial board in 1978, namely Avishai Ehrlich, Moshé Machover,
Mikhal Marouan and Khalil To’ama, and the next nine issues – starting with no.
5, were published in London, in English. The composition of the editorial board
changed from time to time, but members of Matzpen were always actively
involved. The last (14th) issue was published in London, 1989. The
last two issues did not carry a serial number.
All 12 Khamsin’s numbered issues carried
the following moto:
KHAMSIN is a hot desert wind which
blows in the Middle East for fifty days each year. For many years a scorching wind has been
blowing continually over the Middle East...
Issues 5–12 displayed the following
text in the first page or on the back cover:
KHAMSIN is a journal published by
revolutionary socialists of the Middle East. It is also for them, and for
socialists in other countries who are interested in that part of the world.
Khamsin is a committed journal. It aims
not merely to reflect and express, but also to be part of the struggles for
social liberation and against nationalist and religious mystifications.
All these struggles:
* That of the Arab popular masses
against imperialism, Zionism and the Arab ruling classes;
* That of the Palestinian people, the
most direct victims of Zionism, against their national and social oppression;
* That of the anti-Zionist left inside
Israel;
* That of the labouring classes in all
the countries of the Middle East against 'their own' exploiters, and against
oppressive class regimes throughout the region;
* That of women throughout the region
against their oppression and exploitation as women;
All these are inseparable aspects of
one struggle, whose goals can only be achieved through the revolutionary
overthrow of imperialist domination, the Zionist power-structure and all the
existing regimes in the region, and the
establishment of a united socialist
Arab world, within which the non-Arab nationalities will also enjoy, by right
and in fact, full social equality, individual liberty and national freedom.
The members of Khamsin collective, from
various countries of the region and belonging to different political
tendencies, are united round this aim. However, Khamsin is not a political organ
but a forum in which aims themselves, as well as the strategy for achieving
them, can be debated and discussed among the various shades of revolutionary
left opinion.
Part of each issue of the English
language Khamsin was devoted to a central theme:
Oriental Jewry (no. 5),
Women
in the Arab World (no. 6), Communist Parties in the Middle East (no.7),
Politics of Religion in the Middle East (no. 8),
Politics of Religion /
Development of Capitalism in Egypt (no.9), Israel and its War in Lebanon (no.10),
Modern Turkey: Development and Crisis (no.11), and
The Gulf [Iran–Iraq] War
(no.12). Another, last,
un-numbered issue was dedicated again to
Women in the Middle East.
An anthology of articles from Khamsin
(1976-1983), selected and introduced by Jon Rothschild, was published as a book
“Forbidden Agendas” (Al Saqi Books, London 1984).
It is the intention of the builders of
this site to scan the contents of all Khamsin issues. This project, though, may
not materialise in the near future: it is planned to start only after the site
will contain a representative body of Matzpen’s documents and articles, in
Hebrew and Arabic.
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