The British Government today replied to the Arab demand for establishment of an independent Arab state in Palestine with the advice to the Arabs to face the realities of the present situation it was learned after this afternoon’s anglo-Arab session of the Palestine conferences in the St. James Palace. Colonial Secretary Malcolm MacDonald, without making any definite proposals for the Government, laid before the Arab several suggestions aimed at revealing possible alternatives to an Arab state. He was understood to have discussed existing conditions, both with reference to the large Jewish population in Palestine and the state of international affairs, including the Mediterranean situation.
Jamal el Husseini, head of the Palestine Arab delegation, replying to the suggestions, attempted to prove that the existence of an independent Arab state would not be incompatible with the security of the Jewish minority.
No Anglo-Jewish session was held today. Instead, Dr. Chaim Weizmann, David Ben Gurion and Dr. Stephen S. Wise, were received by Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and Mr. MacDonald. They were understood to have expressed concern over the nature of the suggestions made by Mr. MacDonald and to have urged the Government to make known its intentions without further delay.
They were also reported to have pointed out that the present discussions would be barren of result and would not succeed in bringing a peaceful settlement of the Palestine question unless based on an Arab-Jewish understanding. They were said to have asked Mr. Chamberlain to use the utmost influence to bring the Arabs to meet the Jews face to face for discussion on the points at issue. These reported requests reflect the feeling which is hardening in most sections of the Jewish delegation that only through direct discussions with the Arabs can peace be achieved in Palestine.
There is also a growing belief that while the discussions with the British may result in a new formula on questions such as immigration, a constitution and land sales, this formula will not alter the situation unless it is also satisfactory to the Arabs. It is expected that at tomorrow’s Anglo-Jewish meeting this viewpoint will be strongly pressed.
At the same time the Jewish spokesmen will give considered replies to the tentative proposals offered by Mr. MacDonald last night to the Jews, which were debated fully at today’s closed meeting of the Jewish delegation. It was agreed that although there had been no intimation that the Arabs had in any way shifted from their past stand of refusing to meet the Jews, every possible method of bringing about such a meeting should be utilized if there was to be a satisfactory solution of the problem. One condition that would be made by the Jews would be that there should be a cessation of terrorism in 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.
