British Colonial Office Explains Difficulty in Allotting Land for Jewish Colonization in Beisan Regi

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

The question of allotting state land for Jewish colonization in Palestine was touched upon in a communication from Leopold H. Amery, British Colonial. Secretary, to Commander Kenworthy, who raised the question recently in the House of Commons.

The communication deals specifically with the question of land in the district of Beisan. The Palestine High Commissioner informed the Colonial Office that the Palestine government recently considered the possibility of setting aside 10,000 dunam in the districts of Beisan and Jiftlik for settlement by Jewish ex-soldiers, the Colonial Secretary declared. Examining this possibility, the Palestine government found itself bound by the terms of an agreement to provide a certain area for each member of the Arab tribes settled in the district, and an additional land will be absorbed when these obligations are fulfilled. It was therefore useless to pursue the matter further. The local representatives of the Zionist Organization have been so informed, the communication declared.