AFTER THE STRIKE

Evening Star, Issue 22540, 7 January 1937, Page 1

AFTER THE STRIKE

RELIEF IN PALESTINE REVIVING TRADE There is no disguising the feeling of. relief that has spread over the country at the calling off of the strike, wrote a correspondent of the ‘ Manchester Guardian ’ from Jerusalem. Passing along the road one was greeted, with shouted assurances from shopkeepers “We are opening to-morrow,” and their echoing of one’s reply, “El hamdilillah ” (thanks be to God),’ proved it to have been the appropriate, response. The Arab-owned buses Are running again, adding to traffic which is already heavier than normal owing to troop movements. The open spades outside the Damascus and Jaffa gates in Jerusalem are once more crowdfed with waiting vehicles, and the temporary vegetable markets which had been conducted on the roadside under the shadow of a neighbouring police station or military camp have disappeared with the reopening of the central market in the Old City. The suqs (native bazaars), awakened from their shuttered silence and thronged with gaily-dressed villagers, are cleaner than they have been for many a year. Travelling over a great part of the country is now unrestricted, the -convoy system having been largely discontinued, and even the, official com-’ muniques are no longer issued. daily but only “.when the occasion do. mands.” , ' Curfew in Jerusalem has.been pan* tially lifted, so that one may remain, out freely until 9 p.m. instead of 6 p.m. All this constitutes the bright side of things, and rightly deserves the most emphasis after six raqnths of confusion. Yet there exists to-day an undercurrent of bewilderment as to the real intentions of both the Government and the Arabs as represented by the Arab Higher Committee. The effect of the strike and its accompanying disturbances upon tfya country is still a matter of conjecture. Undoubtedly the major. catastrophe of political interference with the gathering and shipping of the citrus crop has been averted, and the prospect of a good yield promises to repair much of the economic damage the country has suffered. While admitting that they have sustained losses and suffered hardships as a result of the strike, the Jews claim that the structure and prospects of the National Home have suffered no vital damage. Even the threatened boycott of ; Jewish goods, which, it is alleged, is now being urged by the Arab Higher Committee as a. rearguard action after the withdrawal of,the strike,.^vdll do little, if-ix-it materialists, beyoh-V istainimj a spirit of’noh-cd-opefation' between ;tho ■ two communities. As an offset against trade difficulties and the losses of the last six months the Jews have rallied to a “ Buy Palestine ” campaign and to a policy of employing all-Jewish labour; they have also acquired the long-coveted permission to, construct harbour facilities at Tel-Aviv.. This last advantage has been already developed to such an extent that it is hoped to ship over a million cases of citrus from the Tel-Aviv jetty this season. Even Arab losses are difficult to guage. In spite of the remarkable unanimity and persistence of the strike, much of it has been superficial. Even in the congested areas. of the native suqs, where' the proximity of the different communities and the narrowness of the lanes' made intimidation easy to carry out', a good deal of back-door trading has gone on. In outlying suburbs the shops for months past have been but half-closed, and, except at intervals, there has bqeu no difficulty in- obtaining food supplies, even fresh vegetables and fruit,, nor have prices risen exorbitantly, a sura sign that , the normal channels of supply remained open. Chemists’ shop* and Greek and Egyptian-owned shops .have been exempted or have exempted themselves from the strike, and even Arab Christian shop-owners have often complied with it only in form. “Wa have had customers all right,” remarked one the other day, “although ” (referring significantly to tha shutters which had remained firm]v closed, for months), “it was no good making trouble for ourselves with tha Moslems.” . ' •