FUTURE OF PALESTINE.

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3794, 16 July 1917, Page 3

FUTURE OF PALESTINE.

! SUGGESTED BRITISH PROTECTORATE. In an article in the "Christian World" on the futiure of Palestine, Mr Ralph Darlington., F.R.G.S., states: A few months ago I lectured on the future of Palestine before the Royal Scottish Geographical Society at Aberdeen, and at the close Sir George Adam Smith said "the future of: Palestine was one that would have to be settled not with regard to the much longer tenure of interest which I Christians enjoyed, as well as with some tenderness for the Moslems who had been in possession of the country for so many centuries, and who regarded it with as much affection as did the Christians or the Jews. Whatever settlement was made would have to be made with due and just regard to the interests of more than one religion." This will be better accomplished under a British Protectorate than by any other means. The British are now approaching Palestine by new railways in course of construction, which will link up Egypt with the Bagdad and Palestinian railways. Bagdad has already been captured by the British armies. Egypt arid the Suez Canal halve long/ been secure as far as the African side concerned, ; but not so on the Asiatic side, as this war has so clearly demonstrated. From the dawn of Mstory to the present day the struggle between Asia and Egypt has been continually fought out in this region, for the roads always ran through Palestine. The ancient countries of Mesopotamia, Syria, Palestine, and Egypt have once again been drawn into the cauldron, and tihis war will settle their destiny for generations to conic—the Old World and the New will unite in a new era of peace and good-will and a development such us humanity has never. known.