Peel’s Death Held Blow to Britain, Palestine

JEWISH CIRCLES EXPRESSED SORROW TODAY AT THE PASSING OF LORD PEEL, VOICING HIGH PRAISE OF HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS CHAIRMAN OF THE ROYAL COMMISSION.

SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF BRITISH ZIONISTS, PROF. SELIG BRODETSKY, VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE ENGLISH ZIONIST FEDERATION AND MEMBER OF THE WORLD ZIONIST EXECUTIVE, SAID IN A STATEMENT TO THE JEWISH TELEGRAPHIC AGENCY:

” ZIONISTS HEARD WITH PROFOUND REGRET OF THE DEATH OF LORD PEEL. AS CHAIRMAN OF THE ROYAL COMMISSION HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR A REPORT WHICH, UNLIKE OTHER PALESTINE INVESTIGATIONS, REVEALED THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMPLEX PALESTINE PROBLEMS, WHILE ITS CLEAR INSIGHT INTO THE TRAGIC JEWISH PROBLEM RENDERED THE REPORT ONE OF THE GREATEST STATE DOCUMENTS OF ALL TIME.

” FEW ZIONISTS ENDORSE ITS CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS, INDEED NONE COULD ACCEPT SO SERIOUS A WHITTLING DOWN OF THE JEWISH NATIONAL HOME AS ENVISAGED BY THE COMMISSION’S PARTITION SCHEME, BUT ALL RESPECT THE FAIR-MINDEDNESS, IMPARTIALITY AND SYMPATHETIC APPRECIATION OF LORD PEEL AND HIS COLLEAGUES. HIS DEATH IS A BLOW MORE SERIOUS SINCE IT COMES WHEN BRITAIN NEEDS DISTINGUISHED STATESMEN LIKE PEEL, WHO WAS ANXIOUS TO SEE THE HOLY LAND PEACEFUL AND PROSPEROUS. PALESTINE, NOT LESS THAN BRITAIN, IS THE POORER FOR HIS PASSING.”

LORD SAMUEL, WHO OPPOSED THE COMMISSION’S RECOMMENDATIONS AND OFFERED AN ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS, DECLARED:

” LORD PEEL HAD MANY OF THE BEST QUALITIES OF STATESMANSHIP- GOODWILL, FAIR-MINDEDNESS AND DEVOTION TO PUBLIC SERVICE. SOME AGREE, SOME DISAGREE WITH THE PROPOSALS OF HIS REPORT, BUT ALL RECOGNIZE THE SINCERITY, IMPARTIALITY AND THE PAINSTAKING CARE OF THE PROCEEDINGS, AND THE SINGLE-MINDED DESIRE OF THE CHAIRMAN TO PROMOTE AN HONORABLE SETTLEMENT OF A MOST DIFFICULT PROBLEM.”