Mr. Norman Bentwich Going Back to Palestine As Professor at Hebrew University: Appointment Officiall

The Hebrew University in Jerusalem announces to-day that Mr. Norman Bentwich, former Attorney-General to the Palestine Government, has been appointed to the Weizmann Chair of International Peace at the University.

The J.T.A. reported as long ago as last July that Mr. Bentwich had been asked to accept the Weizmann Professorship of International Peace at the Hebrew University, established by Sir Montague Burton, a prominent English Zionist. At that time Mr. Bentwich was still Attorney-General in Palestine, and although there were insistent rumours that he was being forced to retire from his position, no confirmation could be obtained. Since then, however, it has been disclosed in the House of Commons by the Secretary of State for the Dominions, Mr. J. H. Thomas, that the late Secretary of State for the Colonies, Lord Passfield, had “decided after most careful consideration, for reasons that in no way affect the personal character of Mr. Bentwich, that the peculiar racial and political conditions in Palestine and the difficulties with which the Administration has in consequence to contend, would not be diminished by his retention of the office of Attorney General”. Mr. Bentwich, he added, had been offered promotion to a high judicial office in the Colonial Service elsewhere, but had made it clear that he would not accept a post outside Palestine and there was no alternative, therefore, but to retire him on pension.

In October (in the J.T.A. Bulletin of October 3rd.) it was reported that Mr. Bentwich had accepted the appointment to the Weizmann Chair of International Peace at the Hebrew University, and it was stated then that he would arrive in Jerusalem during the winter or next spring to take up his appointment.

It is now understood that Mr. Bentwich will assume his duties early in 1932 and will devote his first course of lectures to the subject of “Religion and the Nations”.