Arab-jewish Round Table Conference Proposals: the Documents: Should Be Treated with Reserve in Vie O

The Jewish Telegraphic Agency is able now to publish the documents (as promised in the J.T.A. Bulletin of the 5th. inst.) relating to the proposals concerning an Arab-Jewish Round Table Conference that have been the subject of rumours recently and formed the basis of the statement issued by the Central Committee of the Revisionist World Union last week. The Executive of the Jewish Agency authorised the J.T.A. at the time the Revisionist statement was issued to say that the Executive was aware of the rumours and was in full possession of the reports circulated to that effect, but had seen no reason, in view of the source from which they originated, to attach any importance to them.

The authenticity of the documents is doubted in various political quarters, the J.T.A. understands. It is suggested that the documents may be forgeries, or conversely, that they have been sent out by the Palestine Arab Exectuive merely as a feeler to see how such proposals would be received by the Jews, and the possibility is not ruled out that they #ay be in the nature of an act of provocation to extract a statement that the Jews would not be content with anything less than a Jewish State in Palestine. The J.T.A. therefore publishes the documents with all reserve.

LETTER FROM GRAND MUFTI OF JERUSALEM TO LONDON PRO-ARAB CIRCLES TRANSMITTING PROPOSALS MADE BY ABBAS HILMI OF EGYPT: WE HAVE LOST OUR MOTHERLAND TO PEOPLE WHO RAN AWAY THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO BUT IT IS BEING RECOGNISED THEY HAVE COME INTO COUNTRY AND IT WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE TO GET RID OF THEM: SYRIA IS GETTING {SPAN}#A{/SPAN} CONSTITUTION AND PALESTINE IS NOT BECAUSE WE ARE QUARRELLING WITH NEW CONDITIONS: CAN WE COME TO UNDERSTANDING WITH JEWS AND REMOVE OBSTACLE IN OUR WAY?

The proposals are accompanied by a covering letter written on behalf of the Grand Mufti to a number of English {SPAN}##mpathisers{/SPAN} with the cause of the Palestine Arabs, asking them for their views on the proposals so that they can be taken into consideration by the Palestine Arab Executive.

The new proposals have appealed to the Arab Executive, it is pointed out, because they recognise the need for keeping Palestine a single united State, which can in time evolve into an Arab Confederacy.

Owing to differences among ourselves, it says, we have lost our motherland to a people who ran away thousands of years ago, and who are taking advantage of their wealth and political influence to deprive us of our lands. But at the same time it is being recognised that they have come into the country and it will not be possible to get rid of them. Syria is getting a Constitution and Palestine is not, because we are quarrelling with the new conditions. The main question put to us by the #x-Khedive is whether we can come to an understanding with the Jews and remove the great obstacle in our way.

THE PROPOSALS: POSSIBILITY OF ENSURING UNITY OF PALESTINE IDEAL OF NATIONAL HOME FOR JEWS AND PRESERVATION OF RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES OF ARABS

The main principle on which the future of the State of Palestine is to be based is a strong unified central Government, carried on in a constitutional manner according to the wishes of the people. This is to be expressed by an elected council containing representatives of the inhabitants of the country.

It is understood that the Arab as well as the Jewish Community desire to live in harmony and work for the good of the country as a whole. They desire that Palestine as a State should hold the same position in the world as is now held by independent self-governing countries.

The Arabs and Jews must arrive at a complete understanding on matters of mutual interest before they can co-operate in bringing about the Revival of Palestine as an independent State. A Round Table Conference between the Arab and Jewish representative leaders should be held at Jerusalem or any other place mutually agreeable for considering all the points of difference between the two communities, under the chairmanship of a neutral person acceptable to both and agreed to by the British Government.

1. This Round Table Conference should discuss the future Constitution of Palestine.

2. Settle the terms on which Arab and Jewish representatives will be prepared to co-operate.

3. Discuss the possibility of ensuring (a) the unity of Palestine; (b) the ideal of a National Home for the Jews, and (c) the preservation of the rights and privileges of Arabs who have been in possession of the country for several centuries.

DIVISION OF PALESTINE INTO ADMINISTRATIVE AREAS SO THAT INTERESTS OF JEWS CAN BE CONCENTRATED IN ONE UNIT OF ADMINISTRATION WHICH WILL BE CALLED NATIONAL HOME OF JEWS: JEWISH DISTRICT SHOULD BE CONSTITUTED ON LINES OF PROVINCIAL CONSTITUTION FRAMED FOR INDIA AS EXPLAINED TO ARAB EXECUTIVE BY SHAUKAT ALI

4. Among the proposals for such consideration will be included one for the division of Palestine into administrative areas on a new basis, so that the interests of Jews can be concentrated in one unit of administration, which will be called the National Home of the Jews.

5. This district will be part of the State of Palestine as a whole, but will be under a Constitution securing for the Jewish Community full autonomy for internal affairs, while at the same time it will guarantee them their due and proper share in the governance of the whole country.

6. If the Arab and Jewish representatives are prepared to accept this preliminary basis of settlement, then a sub-committee will be appointed by the Round Table Conference to settle the boundary of the district to be set apart for the Jewish National Home.

7. At the present moment there is a sharp division among the Arab Executive as to whether the area to be so set apart is to be strictly according to the ratio of the Jewish to the Arab population of Palestine, as it is shown by the latest census.

The Arab Executive will discuss the questions with their friends, and desire to know the view of the committee in England.

8. If the representatives agree, the provincial administration of the Jewish district should be constituted on the lines of the provincial constitution framed for India, as explained to the Arab Executive by the Moulana Shaukat Ali.

9. The main principles accepted by the League of Nations for the treatment of minorities should be applied to the minority communities in both Jewish and Arab districts.

10. The inhabitants should have the option of exchanging into another area within a limited period to be settled by the Round Table Conference.

11. After this period they will be automatically considered to have accepted the constitution with the safeguards for minorities.

PALESTINE TO BECOME MEMBER OF LEAGUE OF NATIONS: NO DISCRIMINATION AGAINST ANYONE BECAUSE OF RACE OR RELIGION: CONSTITUTION OF JEWISH DISTRICT TO HAVE SAME BINDING FORCE AS CONSTITUTION OF PALESTINE ITSELF

12. Under no circumstances will any differentiation be made against any person because of his race or religion.

13. No law affecting the interests of either the Arabs or the Jews will be passed unless agreed to by more than half the number of representatives of that community.

14. All matters arising out of any conflict of interest or views will be submitted to a special Judicial tribunal appointed by the Government of Palestine and an appeal may lie to the League of Nations on judicial points alone.

15. Palestine should become a member of the League of Nations on the same terms as Iraq.

16. The constitution of the Jewish District should have the same binding force as the constitution of Palestine itself and cannot be changed.

17. The Palestine constitution shall be framed on self-governing lines, the power to rest in the hands of the elected representatives of the people.

18. The Arabs and the Jews will have representation according to the population, with sufficient safeguards to be settled by mutual consent for Jewish interests.

19. It will be the business of the Round Table Conference to divide provincial and central subjects for purposes of administration.

20. The question of Jerusalem raises a most difficult problem. It is clear that Jerusalem must be the capital of Palestine. Special consideration is required for the solution of this problem.

ABBAS HILMI’S ANTI-BRITISH PAST: WAS DEPOSED DURING WAR “ON GROUND OF HIS ADHERENCE TO KING’S ENEMIES”

Abbas Hilmi, the Ex-Khedive of Egypt, who is given as the author of the proposals, became Khedive on January 8th. 1892, succeeding his father Tewfik Pasha as a boy of 18. When Turkey entered the war against Britain, the Egyptians were nominally subjects of the Sultan, and an intolerable situation was thus created for the British occupying authorities in Egypt. Abbas Hilmi was at the time in Constantinople, the Turkish capital. Two proclamations were accordingly issued by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, the first constituting Egypt a British Protectorate and thus terminating the suzerainty of Turkey over Egypt, and the second announcing the deposition of the Khedive, “Abbas Hilmi, who was in Constantinople, on the ground of his adherence to the King’s enemies”, and the succession to the throne of his uncle, who became the Sultan Hussein, who died in October 1917, and was succeeded by the present King Fuad.

The Ex-Khedive Abbas Hilmi visited Palestine last month and during his stay he visited the Jewish Agency Executive, the Hebrew University and several of the Jewish colonies, declaring himself a friend of the Jews. Shortly before his arrival in Palestine, he sent a message to the Moslem Conference in Jerusalem held under the presidency of the Grand Mufti, which was well received, and in it he made a reference to British friendship for Moslems. There was a report current at the time that he was holding himself in readiness to stand as a candidate for the throne of Syria.