THE PALESTINE REPORT

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22141, 10 July 1937, Page 15

THE PALESTINE REPORT

MIXED RECEPTION GIVEN

BRITISH LABOUR MEMBER'S CRITICISM

ARAB PEOPLE URGED TO USE RESTRAINT {UXITED PHES3 ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.) (Received July 9, 8.30 p.m.) LONDON, July 8. The Palestine report is generally well received, although a section of the House of Commons opposes the idea of the corridor from Jerusalem to Jaffa. The non-success of the Polish Corridor is recalled.

The Labour Party is forming a committee to study the report and consider the attitude to be adopted. In the meantime, Mr J. C. Wedgwood (Labour, Newcastle) declares that the report could not be worse. He contends that all the unoccupied area to the south, which provides a living for 100,000 Jews, has been handed over to the Arabs.

A message from Jerusalem says neither Arabs nor Jews appear willing at present to accept the report. The Arabs complain that they will have no harbours, and the Jews declare they cannot accept Zionism without Zion nor a Jewish state without Jerusalem. The first Jewish reaction was an assemblage by Jews at the Wailing Wall to pray against partition. Jewish opinidfc is strongly against further diminution in Jewish territory.

Faud Saba, secretary of the Arab Higher Committee, declared: "It is too bad. There will be considerable disappointment." The Moslem leader. Nahas Hibi, declined to comment for two days. Jew Stoned in Jerusalem "Partition is impossible unless Britain uses force," declared Abdul Hadi, one of the Arab Higher Committee. "The Arabs will not yield Haifa or Tiberias for any money. It it not a matter of economics but of honour. Would Britain sell Portsmouth to Germany? We are weak, we have no guns and no poison gas, but we have the same hearts as the British."

A Jew was stoned and seriously injured near Herod's Gate in Jerusalem.

The Arab Higher Committee has issued a manifesto complaining that the Jewish state is being created in the most fertile part of the country. The committee is consulting the Arab kings and princes and the leaders of Palestine institutions in reference to their future policy. It appeals to the Arab people to pay no attention to empty promises, to adhere to the Nationalist programme, and to maintain self-re-straint.

A summary of the Royal Commission's report was broadcast in three languages in Jerusalem. This was followed by an address by the High Commissioner (Brigadier-General Sir Arthur Wauchope), who said: "I ask you all to weigh carefully the advantages which partition will bring to both Arabs and Jews, and consider whether such a scheme would not solve in a just and practicable manner the difficulties. by which Palestine has been so unhappily dominated in the past. I have genuine hope that the scheme will not only end our present troubles, but will create a new era of goodwill and contentment, both to the Arabs and Jews."

Parliamentary Reactions The Permanent Mandates Commission has been summoned to meet at Geneva on July 30, when the Colonial Secretary (Mr W. Ormsby Gore), accompanied by the Secretary of the Royal Commission (Mr J. M. Martin), will lay the interim report before the commission. The possibility of a parliamentary debate on the-report is discussed by "The Times," which states that members have been much impressed by the fact that the Royal Commission has been able to produce a unanimous report. Referring to future procedure, "The Times" assumed that it will be the duty of the Mandates Commission to inform the League as to whether a case has been made out for the revision of the mandate. If the Mandates Commission and the League Council are favourable, the British Government then, it is expected, will be asked to prepare a revised mandate, the existing one continuing in operation in the meantime.

Criticism by both Arabs and Jews is anticipated by the newspapers, which, however, view the partition proposals with general favour. "The Times" says: "Whatever criticisms may be levelled against partition, it does offer the greatest possible common measure of justice to the two nations, Palestine, and the British taxpayer."

REPRESENTATION TO ITALY

AVOIDING UNFRIENDLY BROADCASTS MUSSOLINI'S ASSURANCE TO MR EDEN (Received July 9, 8.30 p.m.) LONDON, July S. The Foreign Secretary (Mr R. A. Eden), in view ol the impending issue of the Palestine report, a few days ago interviewed the Italian Ambassador (Count Grandi) and ex-

pressed the hope that the Italian Government would avoid the issue, from its Bari wireless station, of any unfriendly broadcast comments. Count Grandi called at the Foreign Office with a personal message from Signor Mussolini to the effect that II Duce desired in the friendliest spirit to do all he could to ease the situation. The Italian Government had taken all necessary steps to meet Mr Eden's wish.