Michael Doran. Pan-Arabism before Nasser: Egyptian Power Politics and the Palestine Question

New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. — 242 p.Egyptian foreign policy has traced a pattern that poses a riddle for historians. Consider, for instance, the first Arab–Israeli war. During the period 1947–1948, leaders in Cairo recoiled time and again when other Arab statesmen asked them to participate in military operations against the emerging state of Israel. In fact, Cairo did not decide to send troops into Palestine until 11 May 1948, just four days before the end of the British Mandate. Although Egyptian leaders initially displayed great uncertainty about joining the war, once they had mobilized their army, they proceeded to dominate the Arab coalition against the Jewish state; in addition, they appeared to exhibit a staunch commitment to the Palestinian cause. However, when their war fortunes had soured in early 1949, Egyptian statesmen abandoned the fight and, leaving their allies in the lurch, became the first Arab leaders to sign an armistice agreement with the Israelis. Egypt jumped in last, took charge, then jumped out first.