BASIS OF THE NEW POLICY IN PALESTINE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 May 1939, Page 5

BASIS OF THE NEW POLICY IN PALESTINE

Desire to be Just as Between Two Peoples

LIMITS ON FURTHER JEWISH IMMIGRATION

("British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, May 17. The declaration in the White Paper ol the British Government’s objectives in Palestine is preceded by certain general observations in which it is emphasised that- the necessity under which Britain found itself of formulating the policy arose from the failure of the Arab and Jewish delegations at the recent conferences in .London to reach an understanding on the proposals discussed there. It is emphasised that the terms of the League mandate have governed the Palestine policy of successive British Governments for nearly 20 years, and that the new declaration is equally inspired by the wish to act in accordance with the obligations of the mandate and Io be just as between the two peoples. On the one band, Britain believes that the framers of the mandate in which the Balfour Declaration was embodied cannot have intended that Palestine should be converted into a Jewish State against the will of the Arab population of the country. On the other hand, Britain cannot agree that the correspondence, between Sir 11. McMahon and the Shereef of Mecca forms a just basis for the claim that Palestine should be converted into an Arab State. The "White Paper deals also with immigration and land. The proposals regarding immigration are that Jewish immigration during the next live years will be at a rate which, if the economic and absorptive capacity permits, will bring the Jewish population up to approximately one-third of the total population of the country. Taking into account the expected natural increase of the Arab and Jewish populations and the numbers of illegal Jewish immigrants now in the country, this would allow of the admission as from the beginning of April this year of some 75,000 immigrants over the next five years.

ECONOMIC ABSORPTION. These immigrants would, subject to the criterion of the economic absorptive capacity, be admitted as follows: —ln each of the next .five years a quota of 10,000 Jewish immigrants will be admitted on the understanding that a shortage in any one year may be added to the quotas for subsequent years within a five-year period if the economic absorptive capacity permits, and, in addition, as a contribution toward a solution of the Jewish refugee problem, 25,000 refugees will be admitted as soon as the High Commissioner is satisfied that adequate provision for their maintenance is assured, special consideration being given to refugee children and dependants.

After the period of five years no further Jewish immigration will be permitted unless the Arabs of Palestine are prepared to acquiesce. The reasons for the important and far-reaching decisions on Jewish immigration contained in these proposals are fully explained in the statement. It is made clear that the British Government cannot accept an interpretation of the mandate which claims to set up the economic absorptive capacity as the sole criterion in the matter of Jewish immigration. There are other obligations imposed on the mandatory Power such as the promotion of self-government and the safeguarding of Arab interests, which must be given proper weight. ARAB FEARS OF DOMINATION. The statement observes that though it is not difficult to contend that the large number of Jewish immigrants who have been admitted so far has been absorbed economically, the fear of the Arabs that this influx will continue indefinitely till the Jewish population is in a position to dominate them has produced consequences which are extremely grave for Jews and Arabs alike and for the peace and prosperity of Palestine. The method employed by the Arab terrorists against fellow Arabs and Jews alike must receive unqualified condemnation, but it cannot be denied that the fear of indefinite Jewish immigration is widespread among the Arab population and that this fear has made possible disturbances which have given a serious setback" to economic progress, depleted the Palestine exchequer, rendered life and property insecure, arid produced bitterness between Arabs and Jews which is deplorable between the citizens of the same country. ALTERNATIVES STATED. “The alternatives before the Government are either to seek to expand the Jewish national home indefinitely by immigration against the strongly expressed will of the Arab people of the country or to permit a further expansion of the Jewish national home by immigration only if the Arabs are prepared to agree to it. The former policy means rule by force. Apart from other, considerations, such a policy seems to the Government to be contrary to the whole spirit of Article 22 of the League Covenant, as well as to its specific obligations to the Arab. Rule in Palestine must be based sooner or later on mutual tolerance and goodwill. The peace, security, and progress of the Jewish national home itself require this. Therefore the Government, after earnest consideration, and taking into account the extent to which the growth of the Jewish national home has been facilitated over the last 20 years has decided that the time has come to adopt in principle the second of the alternatives. “While, however, the Government is unable to envisage indefinite prolongation of the imposed Jewish immigration. it is equally unable to agree to the contention from the Arab side that Jewish immigration should immediately be terminated. QUIET HINT GENERAL SMUTS & ZIONIST CONGRESS. (Received This Day. 9.55 a.m.) BLOEMFONTEIN, May 18. General Smuts, in a message to the. South African Zionist Congress, said the movement for a Jewish nationalhome would require all the resources of goodwill available to achieve success. He advised the congress to stick to its course and to stick to its friends. The congress unanimously passed a resolution rejecting the Palestine White Paper.