IN PALESTINE BY RIGHT

Chronicle (Levin), 12 March 1946, Page 5

IN PALESTINE BY RIGHT

Press Assn.-

Jews' Plea For Home EVIDENCE 10 C0MMISSI0N

By Telegraph

-Copyright

Received Tuesday, 11.30 a.m. JERUSALEM, March 12. The Jews were in Palestine by law of right, notl on the strength of the Balfour aeciara'don or Palestine mandate, said Dr, David Ben Gurion, chairman of the Jewish Agency executive and leader of the Jewish Labour .movement in Palestine. He was giving evidence before the Palestine Commission. "We have been here before." He added that one-third of the 600,000, Jews in Palestine were born there. Dr. Weizmann, for the Jewish Agency, declared: "Palestine is in essence and principle fundamentally dift'erent from any other place in the world which the Commission might study as a possible home for the Jews. Palestine appeals to the Jews because of the centuries of un^roken physical connection existing in Palestine between the Jev/s and other peoples. The Jews now come to Palestine to confirm their belief of this connection." Dr. Weizmann warned, however, that although the Jews lived cheek by jowl with the Arabs, there was growing a germ • of anti-?jcmiti~m in the Middle East. It would be unjust and inaccurate to blaiue the Arabs for this. . "Nevertheless," Dr. Weizmann saici, ' ' one i'eeLs tuieasy when listening to tlie Arab leaders discussing the controversy today. The Mo.sicm world has treatea the Jews with tolerance. The Jews wiil never forget but this tolerance is waning under the pressure of modern developments. ' ' Dr. Weizmann said he had been reLiably informed that if Palestine were developsd 011 the land, with ancillary industries, there would be room in Palestine for a population double or treble the present %numbers. COMPARI.-JON VvliH ARABS. Dr. 'Weiz-nj.il desenbed Palestine as the only country under the Britisii fiaf3 where tlie Jews "wero confinad to tbt ghetto and nct allowed freedom 01 movement. We have no place where wc couid sliov/ what we can do. ' ' The Arabs emerged from the war with at ieast two new kingdoms and six seats 011 the United Nations Organ isation, including one 011 one Senirity Oouncil. "I don't know wb other this is commensiirate with the Arab war eif ort. ' ' "The Nuremterg Court has estau lished that 6.000,000 -lews hatre been destroyed, " Dr Weizmann conc'nded "Tms wiil tiever hJvpen again if you help us." Questioued by Sir John Singletoii Dr. Weizmann said that once a Jewisb majority was establisfied in Palestine a Jewish Stata would have been estab lishc ;1. This might cause feeling on the part of the Arabs, but "cf cours 1 you caunot r.ia':v aa o'^olette witiiout oreaking some eggs. I believe that sooner or lalm - \ 3 wiil be con vincc-1 that what they have lor.t tpoxxtical iiif •urmdcncs wiil be compen sated for by gam in other v/ays." jbefore hoaring Dr. weizmann, tlu Gommission acoepted ? Palestine Governmont :iier.ioran;lum from Mr. J. v. Shaw, Chief Secretary. Mr. Shaw said the nieinurauduni ha! been prcpared with ' ' complete objectivity. ' '