A Much-Discussed Declaration

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 234, 1 July 1939, Page 1 (Supplement)

A Much-Discussed Declaration

' A BRITISH White Paper, recently published, refers inter alia to the /k famous “Balfour Declaration,” which has been the subject of so / \ much controversy in connexion with the unrest in Palestine:— / “Balfour Declaration to Lord Rothschild on November j 917: “‘His Majesty’s Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of- a National Home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine or the lights and political status enjoyed by the Jews in any other country .

Supplementing this a Command Paper, issued in 1922, says: “ ‘Unauthorized statements have been made to the effect that the purpose in view is to create a wholly Jewish Palestine. Phrases have been used such as that “Palestine is to become as Jewish as England is English. is Majesty’s Government regard any such expectation as impracticable, and lave no such aim in view. Nor have they at any time contemplated . . . the disappearance or the subordination of the Arabic population, language or culture in Palestine. They would draw attention to the fact that the terms of the ■Balfour’ Declaration referred to do not contemplate that Palestine as a whole should be converted into a Jewish National Home, but that such a Home should lie founded in Palestine.’ . . , „ ' “But this statement has not removed doubts, and His Majesty s Government therefore now declare unequi" really that it is not part of their policy that Palestine should become a Jewish State. “They would indeed regard it as contrary to their obligations to the Arabs under the Mandate, as well as to the assurances which have been given

to the Arab people in the past, that the Arab population'of Palestine should be made the subjects of a Jewish State against their will. “The nature of the Jewish National Home in Palestine was further ethe last two or three generations the Jews have recreated in Palestine a community now numbering SO,OOO, of whom about farmers or workers upon the land. This community has its own po itical organs;-an elected assembly for the direction of its domestic concerns, elect councils in the towns; and an organizasion for the control of its schoo s. “ ‘lt has its elected Chief Rabbinate and Rabbinical Council for the direction of its religious affairs. Its business is conducted in Hebrew as a vernacular language, and a Hebrew Press serves its needs. It has its distinct intellectual life and economic activity. “ ‘This community, then, with its town and country population, its po tical, religious and social organizations, its own language, its own cus oms, its own life, has, in fact, “national” characteristics. ‘ ’ t “ ‘When it is asked what is meant by the development of National Home in Palestine, it may be answered that it is not the mposi ion of a Jewish nationality upon the inhabitants of Palestine as a w ’ further development of the existing Jewish community, with the assistance of Jews in other parts of the world, in order that it may become a ceni in which the Jewish people as a whole'may take, on grounds of religio race, an interest and a pride.’ “Since the statement of 1922 was published, more than 30T.000 Jei s have immigrated to Palestine, and the population of the Na ona o risen to some 450,000, or approaching a third of the entire popu a country.”