Doubt was cast here today on reports from Jerusalem that the Arabs had appealed to the international tribunal at The Hague against transference of the concession to develop the Huleh plain in Palestine from Syrian Arab groups to the Jews.
It was pointed out that only governments are competent to go before the tribunal, not individuals. It was also declared that if the Arabs objected to the mandatory power’s approval of the transfer of the concession, their recourse was at Geneva, not The Hague.
In a similar case, that of M. Mavromatis, a Greek citizen who had obtained the Dead Sea exploitation concession from Turkey, his appeal against the British award of the concession to another group was presented by the Greek government. It is doubtful, however, if the Syrian government is legally competent to appeal this case to The Hague since the concession transferred to the Jews was originally granted by the Turkish government before the war and its validity has not been disputed.
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