That the High Commissioner has already completed plans to introduce a legislative council, which will be preceded by elections, within the coming year, is a statement made in the local Arabic paper, Falastin, which adds that British Colonial Office approval has been secured for the move. The authorities are awaiting only the completion of elections to the Jerusalem and Haifa municipalities this month to take the first step of drawing up the voting lists, which is to be about the beginning of September.
“The council will be established whether or not the Jews want it,” says the paper. It gives the rumors published in the Hebrew press that David Ben-Gurion, member of the political department of the Jewish Agency executive, had discussed the legislative council constitution with High Commissioner Wauchope during a recent overnight stay at Government House.
MAY APPOINT MEMBERS
If Jews refuse to elect members to the council, then the government will appoint these members out of hand, the paper believes.
Eight Moslems, four Jews, two Christians, and six senior British officials will comprise the membership.
Disavowals of previous objections to Jewish and Arab voters made respectively by Arab Christians and Jews have now made possible the completion of the election lists for the Jerusalem municipality, and there are to be six Jewish, four Moslem and two Christian councillors, it is learned.
Max Seligman, British subject, and foremost Tel Aviv lawyer, has filed an objection with the electoral committee demanding the right of suffrage which is denied to British subjects. Unless he is given the franchise, he says, he will appeal to the High Court to abrogate the entire Municipal Corporations Law as prejudicing the rights of a section of the population and consequently contrary to the stipulations of the Mandate.
BRITONS MAY GET RIGHTS
Though a British subject is regarded as a “foreigner” in Palestine, he may secure an endorsement of his passport to the effect that while in Palestine he must be treated as a Palestinian and enjoy all rights given by law to local citizens. He retains his passport upon the termination of which he reverts to full British rights while in England and elsewhere outside Palestine.
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.
