WHY ARE THE BRITISH IN PALESTINE?

Evening Star, Issue 25849, 20 July 1946, Page 9

WHY ARE THE BRITISH IN PALESTINE?

HARD TASK OF PROTECTORS . (Written by " E.A.B. "for the ' Evening Star '). A question constantly agitating the minds of people of divers nationalities is, why are the British in Palestine? We who have sons, brothers, or fathers in the British war cemeteries in Jerusalem,in Ramleh, or Gaza—-we know why. Our men took Palestine, Syria, Transjordaiiia, and the Lebanon from the Turk in 1918', when Allenby entered the Holy City on foot—through a gap. in the city wall made expressly so that the German Kaiser could drive through in his', carriage. The manner of Allenby's entry is symbolical of the British; attitude; we came as deliverers, humbly, and not as conquerors, arrogantly. Isn't it ironica}, then, that 'the Jews, who shoot British soldiers in the main street of Tel-Aviv, .'..' have called that street Allenby RoadP 'Then, they thanked Britain for freeing the Holy Land, now, they vilify her. . Palestine was placed under League authority by Britain,' and the League of ; , Nations vested the mandatory rights and duties in Britain,'to administer law. and order and 1 to maintain the independence of the nascent State. By means of a civilian executive, backed by elements, of the three armed services, Britain has faithfully and carefully executed her trust. True, bases for the three services have been set up, . but Palestinians are to be' found in all three services, and the oolice force is almost exclusively Palestinian, especially m the junior, ranks. The forces

would by now have been reduced but for the' intransigence of the Jews! ..themselves, whose actions have caused' that retention of armed strength against which they inveigh. At this stage it is opportune torecall that Britain has evacuated Transjordania, to the east, Syria, to the north, and is ~ .evacuating Egypt, to the south and | west. In these countries, undisturbed by violently dissident elements, the respective Governments have demonstrated their ability to be trusted far enough for an essay at independence. The League now defunct, and U.N.O. not yet into its stride, Britain is " caretaker " in Palestine, to be confirmed in office or replaced by another Power, at the direction of U.N.O. This is not to say she is entirely unselfish in remaining there; on the contrary, it is from Palestine that she hopes to retain | strategic control of the Suez Canal, | and of vital oil pipe lines from the hinterland. Since the very existence j of Britain is dependent upon these controls, she must endeavour to retain her foothold, unless the country reaches so stable a position that British interests —in the wide national sense—can be properly guaranteed by its Government. * As things stand to-day, that would require something more than a miracle. It is, in fact, due to good and stable Government that the Jews have been able to increase and prosper. Surely we, who have seen something of government by a dictator, by an Egyptian and by puppet governments in Syria and Lebanon, ought to be able to form a reasoned judgment on the kind of government Palestine has had; and we say it has been broadly tolerant, longsighted, and in the main, beneficial to both Arab and Jew. This is no mere assertion ; I call in evidence the Bulletin of the Economic Research Institute of the Jewish Agency for Palestine, Vol. VIH.j printed in Jerusalem

last year. The Agency's own econo-' mists show that the total Palestinian income for 1939, expressed in millions of Palestinian pounds, was 30.24; in 1942, 75.89; and the preliminary estimates for 1943 were 90.00. Tlhese figures reflect in part, it is true, wartime prices and contracts for the supply of British requirements, but that was merely an intensification of the longstanding trend towards increasingly rapid expansion. The same bulletin gives the cost of living index based on 100 at August, 1939. The indices for 1942 and 1943, both in December, were 212.6 (1942) and 232.4 (1943). This makes it appear that whereas the cost of living rattier more than doubled, tho national income almost trebled between 1939 and 1943. The British Government over that period, had done little harm to Palestine; one might even go a little further and' say that a Power which, while holding Brer Rommel at bay in Libya, could still spare thought and energy for the thankless task of administering such a "distressful country," might be regarded at least with respect by its beneficiaries. It is, perhaps, natural that the British public should view with increasing distaste any Jewish anti-British insurrection. " Biting t'roody 'and wot fed 'em, gov'nor," is about the summing up of the average Briton, and it looks as if patience is almost exhausted. Anti-Semitism, in principle, is becoming widespread, as the veterans of PAIFORCE Palestine and Traqui Force, or Ninth British Army—return home. More, the experienced civilian executives, having been forced to turn to the services to keep order, are feeling frustrated and discouraged, as is natural. The element of force most directly in contaot with Arabs and Jews is the Army, represented by the Sixth Airborne Division. Raw English lads, not well educated by Kiwi standards, they are led by officers and N.C.O.s who saw service in desperate airborne struggles in Holland; leaders who know the bitterness and horrors of modern

warfare in city and village, and who have no desire for any repitition of it, now that peace has come, and life is good. Naturally kindly, I know they prefer peace and quiet, but not at any cost; they would prefer open warfare to the sneaking, tnur-. derous methods of the terrorists. .On duty they picket barracks and installations, cross-roads, and aerodromes, and are quaintly prejudiced' against the kind of man who sells razor blades by day and drops grenades into your post by night. Such men get short shrift, as is only natural; but I have yet to see any one of the red-bereted "Red Devils" raise hand or foot against woman or child. Did any of thorn so far forget himself, he would be sharply 'rounded up by his mates. No. they aren't angels, and no more are the Jews. But the troops are not jack-booted conquerors, and perhaps that is a pity; for the Continental mind respects the mailed fist. The velvet glove, to them, indicates weakness, not charity.

It is crystal clear that the Jews and no others have brought flpon themselves the use of force, and I am willing to stake all I have that British searches for illegal weapons and munitions have been conducted firmly but decently, and without harm to innocent parties. No one regrets more than these good soldiers that they must take action against ostensible civilians; nor do they, any more than you and I, relish being subjected to the passionate scorn and hatred of the onlooking womenfolk, most of whom have experienced such suffering as makes them fitting objects of pity. No man wants to add the slightest iota' to this; and these good fellows would gladly bo excused their grievous task. A time is coming, perhaps soon, when Britain may find it impossible to continue in Palestine; when that occurs the world will find out the weight of the burden Britain lias shouldered so patiently for so long.