European cooperation in the administration of Palestine, while Britain retains the Mandate over the country and the establishment of an international gendarmerie are suggested by the “Church Times.”
After discussing the possibility of the Mandate being taken over by France or Italy, or returned to Turkey, which it dismisses as unsatisfactory, the paper declares that no British Government will regard the withdrawal from Palestine as practical politics. “We are there to stay, but there may come a time when it is absolutely impossible to endure the strain.” To forestal such an eventuality, it suggests that there be yet one effort for the establishment of European cooperation in the administration of a country with whose peace Europe as a whole is concerned. An efficient gendarmerie is obviously necessary. Why not an international gendarmerie to be composed of subjects of great powers, each power responsible for the payment of its nationals? it asks. Why should not Great Britain, while clearly determined to fulfill its obligations, invite European cooperation in an admittedly difficult task. It may be that this country has bitten off, not perhaps more than it can chew, but more than it can conveniently digest. But the necessary digestion may be stimulated by common sense.
Continuing, it states, the territories now governed by mandate, or as colonies may be educated toward self-government with the result that in time (Continued on Page 4)
Discussing the possibility of giving up the Mandate, it writes: If Britain through its representatives at Geneva would declare itself no longer able to keep order in Palestine, there would be a mighty wrangel as to whom the overlord should be. France is the recognized protector of Latin Christians in the Near East and might he acceptable to the Vatican, but certainly unacceptable to Mussolini. The great majority of the Latin monks in Palestine are Italian Franciscans. The Latin Patriarch is an Italian prelate. It has frequently suggested that Palestine is an admirable country for Italian colonists. But neither France nor Italy is acceptable to the Greek Orthodox nor to the Zionists, even if either power should be willing to pledge itself to the policy of establishing the Jewish national home.
The Zionists would bitterly resent the immigration of Italians. Indeed the return to the Turks is perhaps the only practical alternative to the British Administration, but no British government can regard withdrawal as British politics. We are there to stay.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
