“near East” Cites Citrus Development As Growing Basis for Arab, Jewish Co-operation

The “Near East and India,” a publication considered as close to the Colonial Office, which has just reached this country, carries a full page editorial entitled “Development in Palestine” where it cites the development of the citrus and other industries, due to Jewish initiative, as a growing basis for co-operation between Jew and Arab.

The publication sees further the removal of an obstacle to Arab and Jewish co-operation when material progress in Palestine is assured permanence.

The “Near East and India” states that where co-operation is hampered or prevented, the responsibility rests on the actions of the politically-minded of the two sections of the Palestine population. On the Arab side, the paper asserts, there can be no question but that those who are most vocal in their hostility to the Jews are the spokesman of those who are the worst enemies of the fellaheen.

The paper comments also upon the present meeting in London of the Economic Board for Palestine; the second annual meeting of the stockholders of Palestine Potash, Limited, the company which operates the Dead Sea Concession; the interview between Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister, Secretary of State for the Colonies, and Nahum Sokolow, President of the World Zionist Organization; and the “growing movement among American Jews, as well as among the Jews of Europe, for investment and middle-class settlement in Palestine.”

“Near East and India” also verifies that there is practically no unemployment among the Jews of Palestine.

“Not the least satisfactory feature of the citrus industry is the opportunities it provides for co-operation between the Arabs and Jews,” says the editorial, “and there can be no question of the advantages that the Arab orange growers have derived from the example set by the Jews in all that concerns the improvements introduced into the industry-improved methods of cultivation, of packing and grading and of marketing. The dependence of the Arabs in this respect on Jewish initiative would seem to be taken so much for granted by them, that they are usually content to see the whole duty of investigation and research shouldered by the Jews in the hope, no doubt, that the bulk of the expense, if not all of it, will be borne by the latter. In other directions other speakers (at the meeting of the Economic Board) were able to give the same account of the steady expansion, in fruits, in vegetables, in dairy produce and in various industries. In a year’s time, moreover, it may be supposed the output of Palestine Potash, Limited, already several years ahead of its contract schedule, will be making itself felt in the State Exchequer.

“The material progress in Palestine,” the paper proceeds, “will be the more permanent, because it is based on a sound foundation, and a great obstacle to Arab and Jewish co-operation will be removed. In the sphere of business enterprises this co-operation is already abundantly in existence, and where it is hampered or wholly prevented the reason is to be sought in the actions of the politically-minded of the two sections of the Palestine population. On the Arab side there can be no question that those who are most vocal in their hostility to the Jews and to the present regime are those, or the spokesmen of those, who are also the worst enemies of the fellaheen. The progress of Palestine requires a marked improvement in the lot of the fellaheen, and their standard of living; and it is unfortunate that the undue stress laid in certain quarters on the political aspirations of Zionism tends to strengthen the position of what is generally known as the effendi class with their own fellaheen and so regards the work that Jewry has set itself to perform in Palestine.”