Ismail Safwat (Arabic إسماعيل صفوت, DMG Ismā'īl Ṣafwat) was a general of the Iraqi army. During the Palestinian war he was entrusted with the creation of a Pan-Arab invasion plan.
Safwat started his military career in the army of the Ottoman Empire. Within the Iraqi armed forces he rose to the general.
At the beginning of the Palestinian war, Safwat became a consultant to the Arab League Military Committee. Safwat correctly predicted that the irregular guerrilla groups of the Palestinian Arabs and the Arab Liberation Army would not be able to hit the Yishuvw militarily.
In consequence, he proclaimed an Invasion Plan, in which Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Iraq and Transjordan should intervene as early as possible. His plan demanded five modern equipped divisions with adequate air support as the minimum. The plan was rejected by the Arab states for political reasons. Safwat also failed to establish an effective command over all Arab forces. The different nations pursued their own interests, and therefore opposed Safwat's efforts. It was superseded by the Iraqi general Nur-Din Mahmud on 13 May 1948, three days before the entry of regular Arab troops into the former Mandate territory of Palestine.
Nominally, he was also commander of the Arab Liberation Army. Their operations were, however, directed by Fawzi al-Qawuqdschi. Single-level Edit source text
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