BRITISH POLICY IN PALESTINE

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 66, 10 December 1938, Page 11

BRITISH POLICY IN PALESTINE

House Of Lords Debate

LONDON DISCUSSIONS APPROVED

Slow Growth Of Jewish Settlement Suggested

(British Official Wireless.)

RUGBY, December S.

In a debate on Palestine in the House of Lords nearly all the speakers agreed with the Government’s decision to hold discussions

in London. Lord. Harlech said his view was that the Jewish settlement would grow very slowly, but on sure foundations. To bring such a policy to fruition there must be friendly co-operation, and growth must not be too fast.

The tragedy of the policy of a Jewish national home in Palestine was that it had been made a refuge because of Jewish persecution. Emigration into Palestine had grown from 11,000 a year to an inrush of from 60,000 to 70,000, mainly because of the German persecution.

Neither an Arab nor a Jewish Government would be a solution, and he was convinced that the only hope for success for a round-table conference was to make it perfectly clear that the British administration would go on in Palestine.

The Marquis of Lothian suggested that the introduction of the federal principle might go far to solve - the problem and that a great deal would depend on getting a measure of agreement between the parties. Lord Swinton maintained that there should be no relaxation of the British Government’s efforts to maintain law and order against the campaign of violence. He believed it was possible to get co-operation between the two races in Palestine. Partition Policy. The Marquis of Dufferin and Ava, replying for the Government, denied that there was any truth in a charge that Ministers had rushed with undue haste into accepting the policy of partition. The Government had to act, and it believed both sides would have .accepted that solution. The Government was right in believing that. However, manv factors intervened to destroy that’effort, and the Arabs concentrated against the policy of partition. If there had been a desire to work the scheme it would have succeeded, but as there was no desire to work it it was doomed to fail. The Government therefore had to try to discover some other way out of the difficulty. It was true that the Arab campaign of violence still continued, but there had been a great diminution _ in the number of outrages since the reinforcement of the forces and great progress had been made in restoring authority in those areas which had fallen into the hands of Arab gangs. That policy would continue till by other means appeasement was reached in Palestine. They could not govern Palestine for ever with troops, he continued. Therefore the Government had decided to call a conference and it had received acceptances from the Palestinian Arabs, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the Transjordan and the Jewish agency. They had also sent an invitation to the King of the Yemen. Selecting Delegation. He said it was certainly difficult, owin" to lack of any authoritative body in Palestine, to explain how it was possible to select a delegation of tills nature, but in the Middle East things were done in a quiet and friendly manner. They would be quite sure to get a responsible Palestinian dele“aitwas not the intention of the Government to start the proceedings as a round table conference, though they hoped it would end as such. In the discussions the Government would be bound by the Balfour Declaration and the mandate. If an agreement was reached which would necessitate altering the terms of the mandate they would not hesitate to do so. Should agreement not be reached and if a settlement had to be imposed, equally they would hold themselves free to Jake proper steps for a similar alteration. The Government did not intend .to move'in the matter of immigration during the last six months period. He''concluded by expressing the hope that the conference would restore confidence to both Arab and Jew. IE the conference failed it would not be for lack of far thinking and goodwill on the part of the Government. AMNESTY SUGGESTED Ensuring Goodwill In Palestine JERUSALEM, December S. Arab circles appreciate the conciliatory gesture of the Colonial Secretary for the release of deported Arabs, and suggest that an amnesty for Arabs ana Jews who are detained locally would help to ensure goodwill. it is Imped that the return of. tne deported Arabs will lead to the Higher Arab Committee choosing inter-party representation for the London conference.