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Jerusalem Arabs Call General Strike to Protest Proposal to Alterrate Mayoralty

March 25, 1945
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A general strike of all Arabs in Jerusalem has been called for tomorrow to protest the proposal by the Palestine Government that the Jerusalem mayoralty be filled for alternate one-year periods by an Arab, a Jew and a Christian.

The strike was called by the extremist Husseini Party and the Arab Chamber of Commerce in Jerusalem. Meanwhile, the Arab members of the municipal council have called a protest meeting for Sunday, which is also being supported by the Arab chambers of commerce throughout the country.

The proposal for alternating the mayoralty has also met with opposition among Jews. A meeting of the Jewish members of the Jerusalem municipal council stated yesterday that the scheme was unjust to Jews in that it would give a “one-third” status to the Jewish population which constitutes two-thirds of the city’s population, and page two-thirds of its taxes, and, in addition, would restrict the city’s autonomy. The councillors also declared that the plan was not feasible. Similar views were expressed in the Hebrew newspapers today and yesterday.

The present Acting Mayor is Daniel Auster, who assumed the post upon the death, last year, of Mustapha Bey Khalidi. The mayor is not elected by the city’s population, but is appointed by the Palestine Government.

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