BUT NOT JEWISH STATE

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 11, 12 July 1930, Page 9

BUT NOT JEWISH STATE

IDEA OF MANDATE

PASSFIELD ON PALESTINE

British Official Wireless. (Received 12th July, 11 a.m.)

RUGBY, 11th July

Au. important statement upon J^wisli immigration in Palestine was made by; Lord Passfield, Secretary for the Colonies, to a deputation from the .board of Deputies of British Jews, which is the elected representative body of tho en-s of tho British Empire.

Tho deputation, in expressing the views of tho board on the suspension, of 2300 immigration certificates for Palestine, granted on the labour eched-. ule for tho current year, said that the Government's decision prejudiced the work of the Jewish Agency, and seemed to indicate that the Government had made up its mind that Jewish immigration must be stopped.

The Government's policy had not created a loyal and contented population in Palestine, and persecutions were to be observed in the foreign relations of this country. The Jewa had for centuries suffered injustice at the hands of others, and they were the last to wish to see injustice inflicted on the Arabs. ' Th-o deputation, urged the British Government to release the certificates and to demonstrate its intention to administer Palestine in the spirit of the mandate.

In reply, Lord Passfield said tbati the protests of the Jews appeared to have been based on a misunderstanding. There had been no change in the policy of the Government, and no uncertainty in its execution of the mandate.

The mandate, however, did not envisage the establishment of a Jewish State, but only of a Jewisa National Home in Palestine, consistently with the maintenance of the position and rights of the Arab population.

, There must be a limit to Jewish immigration, determined by the absorptive capacity of the country. There had been no stoppage of immigration, and 950 certificates on the labomschedule for the present half-year had been sanctioned in advance, and had not been suspended.

The Shaw Commission had reported that a certain number of Arabs had been economically prejudiced as a result of Jewish land purchases, although it was recognised that the Jewish Agency had paid a liberal monetary compensation. The Government considered it necessary to inquire into th& truth of the allegations, and with this object had secured the best possible expert to make inquiries. These were being pursned without delay, but no promise could be made as to the date on which the decision could be given.