FUTURE OF PALESTINE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19465, 28 April 1925, Page 7

FUTURE OF PALESTINE

LORD BALFOUR RETURNS. A NOTE OF OPTIMISM. Pnii Association —By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, April 26. (Received April 27, at 6.5 p.m.) A largo force of police restrained dense throngs of enthusiastic Jewish admirers welcoming the Earl of Balfour home to London. Lord Balfour j who was bronzed and cheerful, said: “I am more sanguine than ever about the future of Palestine. I believe that if only the agitators will leave the matter alone everything will be all right. The Jews are fully conscious of the necessity of working harmoniously with the Arabs. —Reuter. ’ THE ARAB VIEWPOINT. STATEMENT OB' DEMANDS. DEPUTATION TO MR AMERY. JERUSALEM, April 26. (Received April 27, at 5.5 p.m.) Mr Amery met a representative Arab deputation, which called attention to the serious situation in Palestine and begged him to consider their case. Sheik Suleiman Faroukhy, President of the National Party, explained the grievances of the Arabs who were loyal to Britain. Ho said that the Balfour Declaration was oppressive, and the country was dying economically because its wealth was leaving it. The Arabs had no share in legislation, whereas under the Turkish regime they had a large share _in the government. He concluded by saying that the Palestinians desired to live peacefully in Palestine as natives, not as foreigners. Following Sheik Faroukhy, Amiu Boy Tamimi declared that the Arabs were much better off under the Turkish regime. Britain had not fulfilled her promises to the Arabs, who demanded a. representative Government responsible to a parliament elected by the people and a constitution established by the National Council, including legislative and administrative powers; the sacred places to be under the protection of the inhabitants ; equality of right of all elements, and the r>rotoe-. tion of British interests compatibly with the nation’s interests. Mr Amery, in reply, said that the British Government was of opinion that there was no incompatibility between Arab and British co-operation and the Balfour Declaration. Britain’s object was to ensure that Palestine should! be a national home tor the Arabs in every sense equally with the Jews. The expression “a, national home for the Jews" meant nothing more than that the existing Jewish communities should bo able to fulfil their desire to live their own cultural life and have the opportunity of development, and this should be definitely recognised as a ridit and not merely as sufferance. The policy of the British Government looked first to the prosperity of the population, of which the great majority was Arab, and only concerned Jewish settlement so far as to see that it received fair conditions. The increase in the prosperity of the country was proved by the fact that the population of Palestine was now- 806,000, of whom 108,000 were Jews, compared with 673,000 thousand, including 55,000 Jews, in 1920. Therefore, there was no fear that the local population would be outnumbered by Jewish immigration. Mr Amery emphasised that the Arabs had illadvisedly refused opportunities of consultation and representation. The Government was anxious to secure the 00-opera-tion and advice of all representative Arabs, but it was not asking tbis as a favour. The Arabs now had the opportunity of becoming a great, nation again provided they concentrated on their own development and not on mistaken fears regarding the Government’s policy.—Reuter. Iz.'