The entire present policy of the British government in Palestine is only meant to white-wash the former actions of British officials there, declares a statement issued yesterday by the British Palestine Committee, among whose members are many prominent Englishmen. Because of that, declares the Committee, the government is endeavoring to show that Jewish immigration and Jewish land purchase are responsible for the Arab riots of last Summer.
The committee also criticizes Prime Minister MacDonald for accepting the report of the Shaw Commission on Palestine, which it declares consisted of “second-rate men,” while refusing to accept the report of the Simon Commission on India, which it declares consisted of first-rate men. It points out that while the conclusion of the Simon Commission were arrived at unanimously and were all within the sphere of its authority, the conclusions of the Shaw Commission were not unanimous and exceeded its authority.
The Palestine government is also condemned in the report for indicting more Jews than Arabs for complicity in the murders of last August. Though the riots were organized by the Arabs, declares the Committee, 25 Jews against 19 Arabs were arrested in Jerusalem for murder, while in Haifa 42 Jews against 19 Arabs were arrested, though all the Jews in these two cities were later freed.
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