British Jewry, through its official representative body, the Board of Deputies of British Jews, decided overwhelmingly yesterday to welcome a solution of Palestine’s future providing for establishment of a Jewish dominion within the British Commonwealth of Nations.
The resolution was opposed by Lionel Cohen, Sir Osmond d’Avigdor Goldsmid and Sir Robert Waley Cohen. Sir Osmond emphasized the inevitable accentuation of the split between Zionists and non-Zionists if the resolution was adopted and warned of serious effects of official support of a proposal favoring a Jewish State — even if included in the British Empire — upon the position of the Jews.
The resolution adopted states:
“First, this Board regrets to note that the terms of a portion of the White Paper envisage a long period of delay before the final policy is formulated and appeals to the Government to hasten the departure of the technical commission to end, as soon as possible, the uncertainty which is crippling the economic life of Palestine and is an encouragement to the forces of disorder.
“The Board hopes that the Government will restore economic absorptive capacity as the criterion for Jewish immigration into Palestine. The artificial reduction of immigration is producing great economic strain in Palestine and inflicting very great hardship on a large number of Jews in Eastern and Central Europe who are driven by persecution to look to Palestine as their only hope.
“Secondly, the Board declares its uncompromising opposition to any solution of the Palestine problem seeking to impose on the Jewish people the status of a permanent minority.
“Thirdly, the Board would welcome a solution for the future of Palestine which will provide for the establishment of a Jewish dominion within the British Commonwealth of Nations.
“Fourthly, the Board resolves that the text of this resolution be conveyed to the Prime Minister and the Colonial Secretary and be published in the press.”
The resolution, introduced by Dr. Israel Feldman, chairman of the Palestine Committee, and seconded by Samson Wright, was voted amid scenes of great enthusiasm.
Neville Laski, president, opening the session, announced that Lionel Cohen had resigned as vice-president because of the pressure of other activities.
In presenting the report of the Joint Foreign Committee, Mr. Laski challenged the figures of King Carol and Premier Octavian Goga of Rumania regarding Jews as “completely inaccurate.” The report revealed that the committee had intervened with the Foreign Office on Jan. 3 regarding the Rumanian situation.
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