The formation of autonomous Jewish municipal units within general municipalities in mixed cities, like Jerusalem and Haifa, is demanded by the Jewish Agency in a 108-page memorandum submitted to the Government.
The memorandum is in the form of a series of observations on the projected new municipal ordinance which, it is understood, is planned to serve as a preliminary to the legislative council, which the Government proposes subsequently to establish.
In the memorandum, the Jewish Agency demands unrestricted women’s franchise, also wider powers for municipalities and a more modern spirit, in the sense of less bureaucratic interference in the affairs of municipalities.
The draft of the new municipalities’ ordinance, which has not yet been published, was recently submitted by the Government to the heads of municipalities for their observation. Since then the various clauses of the ordinance have been subjected to a great deal of criticism. It is known that the ordinance considerably restricts the self-government of the municipalities. It proposes, that, in the future, not only the President of the Council, but all the administrative officials, such as Municipal Engineer, Municipal Doctor, Secretary and Treasurer are to be appointed by the High Commissioner. It proposes that elections be held once in five years only, and during the interval between election and election, the High Commissioner is to be empowered to dismiss Councillors at any time and replace them by others. The rights of municipalities are to be limited even in such matters as the naming of streets.
While the rights of municipalities under the new law are set out in great detail, many important points are omitted. No mention is made of social welfare, or poor relief. There is no guarantee of the franchise for women, a subject which is left entirely to the discretion of the High Commissioner.
The demand by the Jewish Agency for the establishment of Jewish municipal units within general municipalities has obvious reference to the fact that in such municipalities as Jerusalem, Haifa, and Jaffa, in which Jews form either a majority or a large element of the population, Jewish interests in the shape of employment and improvements have been repeatedly ignored.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
