Greymouth Evening Star. MONDAY, AUGUST 5, 1946. Arabs and Jews

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 August 1946, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. MONDAY, AUGUST 5, 1946. Arabs and Jews

yiiE Arab nations, now banded together in the Arab League, have expressed themselves as inflexibly resolved that Palestine should not be flooded with Jewish immigrants. They are also united in their determination that -the country should become independent. In view of this position, it is difficult to see at the present juncture, how any plan which has as its object a further flow of Jews into Palestine and the partitioning of the country into provinces can possibly meet with full success.

Modification of the Arab attitude will no doubt be sought at the London, conference which, at Britain’s invitation, is to be attended by delegates from Transjordan, Syria, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. The problem is indeed a perplexing one. The main recommendation of the report of the Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry is for the admission of 100,000 European Jews to Palestine this year, and this is where the responsibility of the British I people is. not shared, but is exclusive, for they are responsible for both the Jews and Arabs in Palestine, for the safeguarding of the Jewish national home as it exists there to-day and for the rights of the Arabs in their own country. It is a burden which Britain should no longer have to carry alone. Future Policy Question. The Anglo-American Committee’s report recommends that 100,000 Jews should be admitted this year, but the Arabs rightly ask what the future rate of immigration is to be. They also contend that even 100,000 immigrants is a number beyond the economic capacity of the country to absorb in so short a period. The committee does not claim that to send 100,000 Jews to Palestine will solve the problems of the Jews in Europe, for they state that “as many as 500,000 may wish or be compelled to emigrate.” Where are the other 400,000 to go? All the nations admitted to the fellowship of the United Nations must share the responsibility, as far as possible, for the rehabilitation of the shattered remnants of European Jewry. It had become obvious that while the Arabs remained adamant in their altitude the main recommendations of the AngloAmeriehn Committee conld not be implemented without resort to force. For that reason the later proposals to partition the country offer more hope of success in finding a solution. If they are accepted by the Arabs, however, it may be anticipated that stringent conditions will be imposed and these may well prove of such a. nature as to make much further progress impossible. Arabs and Empire.

One important aspect of the situation which Britain cannot overlook is that the Arab nations lie athwart Empire communications and control the lands containing her main oil resources. Furthermore, they have the support of 90,000,000 Moslems in India. For that reason, if for no other, the question of finding a peaceful solution of the Palestine problem is one that does not concern Britain alone. Another feature of the Anglo-American Committee’s report which should not escape attention is that Great Britain, having been abused for decades for its policy in Palestine, is now told by the first international committee to consider the problem that “if British forces arc withdrawn there would be immediate and prolonged bloodshed the end of which it is impossible to predict.” On the other hand, Britain is bidden to remain in Palestine under conditions which may eventually lead to a position equivalent to war. As was remarked recently by a British authority on Middle East questions, only one country, Russia, would benefit from such a state of affairs. Her policy to-day is such that it would be foolish to expect her Io resist taking advantage of the inevitable difficulties with the Arabs that yvi created if a solution of the Palestine problem is imposed against their wi .