PALESTINE IN THE FUTURE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, 28 April 1925, Page 7

PALESTINE IN THE FUTURE.

Earl Balfour’s Optimism. ADVICE TO THE JEWS. 3y Cable—Press Ass' , 3iation—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. ' LONDON, April 26. A ' large force of police restrained dense throngs of enthusiastic Jewish admirers welcoming Earl Balfour home to London. > i Earl Balfour is bronzed and cheer-; ful. He said: “I ani more sanguine than ever about the future of Palestine. I believe if only the agitators leave the matter* alone everything will be all right’. The'Jews are fully conscious of. the necessity of working harmoniously the Arabs.” '

ARAB C {LA I MS OUTLINED. REPRESENTATIONS TO COLONIAL . fcSECKETARY,

By Cable—Presa Association —Copyright--Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. JER USALEM, April 26.

.Colonel Amery (Secretary of State for the Colonies ) met a representative Arab deputation. - The latter called attention to the serious situation in Palestine, and begged Colonel Amery to consider their case. ;

" The bheik Suleman Foroukhy, president of the National Party, explained the grievances of the Arabs, Who are loyal to Britain/ He said Earl Balfour? s declaration wag oppressive. The country was dying economically, because wealth was leaving the country 1 . TlijS Arabs had no share in legislation, whereas under the Turkish regime they had a large share in the Government. He concluded by saying that Palestinians desired to live peacefully in Palestine, as natives, not foreigners. Following Faroukhy, Amin ( Bey Tamimi declared that the Arabs were much, better olf under the .Turkish .regime. Britain had not fulfilled the promises to the Arabs. The Arabs demanded representative government, responsible to a Parliament elected by a 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 protection of British ihterests, '■compatibly witty the nation’s interests. Colonel Amery, in reply, said 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 ibe a national hoihe for the Arabs, in every sense, with equality with the Jews., The expression “national home for the , Jews” meant nothing more than that •, the existing Jewish communities should be able to fulfil their desire to live their own cultural life, and have, opportunity, of development, and this should be definitely recognised as a right, , not merely a sufferance. The policy :of the British Government looked, firstly to the prosperity of ; the population, of which the great majority were Arabs, and ; was_ only concerned with 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 was now 806,000, of whom 108,000 were Jews, compared with 673,000, including 55,000 Jews, in *1920. Therefore, there .was no fear that the- local population would be outnumbered by Jewish immigration. Colonel Amery emphasised that- t]ie 'Arabs ill-advisedly refused opportunities of consultation and representation. The Government was anxious to secure (the co-operation and advice of all representative Arabs, but has not asked this as a favour. The Arabs now had the opportunity of becoming a great nation again, provided they concentrated on their own development, not on mistaken fears regarding the Government’s policy.