All hopes of having a Jew for mayor of Jerusalem were ended today by the news that Dr. Hussein Fakri El Khaldi was nominated for mayor of Jerusalem by High Commissioner Sir Arthur Grenfell Wauchope. Dr. Khaldi defeated Ragheb Bey Nashashibi, present incumbent, for the office of municipal councillor in one of the Arab wards. According to reports, Haim Solomon, former Jewish vice-mayor, was reappointed to the post together with Jacob Farraj, Christian Arab.
The defeat of the Jewish aspiration marks the end of long and protracted negotiations between representatives of the Palestine government and Jewish and Arab leaders as to who was to be the next mayor of the Holy City.
Jewish representatives stubbornly held out for the appointment of a Jewish mayor, but finally compromised on the appointment of a Jewish vice-mayor, with larger prerogatives than are now enjoyed by the inc##bent of that office. The High Commissioner, it is understood, insisted on the appointment of a Christian as vice-mayor in order not to offend the Christian Arab population.
Six Jewish councilmen were elected in the municipal election of last September, including Daniel Auster, Isaac Ben Zvi, Abraham Elmalah, Samuel Edin, J. Hachmashvilli and Haim Solomon.
The surprise in the election was the defeat of Ragheb Bey by Dr. Khaldi. Nashashibi had been in office for many years and counted heavily on the support of the British authorities in Palestine. Dr. Khaldi was head of the municipal health services, but was a newcomer to polities. He is a descendant of a noble Arabic family.
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