With the United States Congress as his model, Bernard A. Rosenblatt, former New York City magistrate and at present residing in Haifa, proposes the establishment of a bicameral parliament as a means of giving Palestine representative government without making either Arabs or Jews a minority.
"Assuming a legislative council of two houses," writes Judge Rosenblatt in the Palestine Review, "we might very well adopt the American principle that the Lower house should reflect the numbers of the inhabitants, changing its color with the periodical census returns."
In the institution of an upper house, somewhat resembling the American Senate, the possibility of equal representation of Arab and Jewish elements in Palestine may be realized, he declares.
The former New York jurist proposes that the Senate be composed of six Arabs and six Jews, elected for a period of six years, or appointed–the Arabs by the Emir of Transjordan, and the Jews by the Jewish Agency for Palestine.
Legislation could only originate in the Senate, according to his plan, and be considered by the lower house only after approval by a majority of the Senate.
"Only under such a system," said Judge Rosenblatt, "of dual control through a two-chamber legislative council, can we satisfy the legitimate demands of Jews and Arabs and save Palestine from becoming the football between a devouring Arab nationalism, on the one side, and on the other, a conquering European imperialism."
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.
