Arab Leader Opposes Zionism but Believes in Peace with Jews

That the Palestine situation was strained and that the riots of last August had resulted in the destruction of Arab property and the killing of numbers of Arabs, was the text of an interview in the “Al Abram” forwarded to Egypt by Hassan Setki Eldagani, member of the Arab Executive of Palestine. “Death sentences are being given our brethren,” continues the interview. “Our energy should be concentrated on the task of assisting victims of the riots and on throwing light on the situation. Let us destroy the Zionist lie that Arabs stated the riots.

“Thank God,” continues “Al Ahram,” “that the Commission (Palestine Inquiry Commission) has already ascertained that we did not start the riots but only defended ourselves. I feel sure that the Commission’s report will cause surprise. It will reveal the sinister plans of those who caused the riots, that harmed both Arabs and Jews.

“We are friends of the Jews,” says “Al Ahram” “and have always lived peacefully with them. We oppose Zionism, however, and those Zionists who arrived in Palestine under the pretext that they intended to live in peace with the Arabs and immediately demanded a Zionist king. It was Zionists who opposed our demand for a Parliament. Zionists make enemies between us and the Palestine Jews who hate the Zionists more than we do. The Jews of Iraq, of Syria, of Germany, also announced their opposition to Zionism. We desire to inform the whole world that it is not animosity (Continued on Page 8)

Stating that the boycott now being carried on by Arabs against the Jews is an answer to a previous boycott of Jews against Arabs, “Al Ahram” states the Arabs have learned that the boycott is the best method to suppress Zionism. “It is regrettable,” it concludes. “that most of the sufferers are Palestine born Jews, not Zionists, because Zionists do not come to work, they spread Bolshevism.”

The interview is being used for propaganda purposes here.