Jewish leaders yesterday gave an emphatic “no” as their answer to the Palestine Government’s proposal for introducing a representative legislative council and met with the equally firm decision of the High Commissioner to proceed with plans for instituting the council.
In a seventy-minute conference, called for making the same announcement of the council made to Arab leaders Saturday, High Commissioner Sir Arthur Wauchope, after hearing the objections of the Jewish leaders, declared that he understood the Jews’ position but that the Government was determined to establish the assembly. He expressed the hope that relations between the Government and the Jews would not be affected.
Meanwhile, the question of votes for women added a new complication to the situation. Arab leaders, who are withholding their reply to the proposal, made known objections to permitting women to vote for council members, declaring Arab women would not gain by enfranchisement, presumably because they would be barred by literacy and other requirements.
Added details on the council are:
Members will be elected for five years at an annual salary of two to three hundred pounds.
Franchise will be extended without the taking of a census to every inhabitant over twenty-five years of age who has resided in Palestine at least two years.
To be eligible to council membership a person must be a citizen of Palestine over thirty years of age. Sessions will either be held for three months of the year or divided into two six-week sessions.
The present allotment of seats, 14 to Arabs, 7 to Jews, 7 to Britons, is based upon the proportion of Arabs to Jews in the various communities and in the entire population, the Government announced.
There will be no revision in the basis of representation for five years.
Anticipating boycotts against the council, Britain has empowered the High Commissioner to nominate any person he chooses to represent communities not participating. One of the eight Arabs to be elected will be a Bedouin.
The council will not be authorized to deal with the immigration schedule for laborers, but the elected members will be able to adopt resolutions and ask questions of the Government. The council will be allowed to deal with questions of budgeting.
It was understood that the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, one of the most powerful Arab leaders, is still opposing the council as he did when it was suggested by Sir Herbert Samuel in the early days of the mandate.
At the opening of the meeting with the Jewish leaders, Sir Arthur read the statement outlining plans for the council and invited re-narks.
Dr. Chaim Weizmann, president of the World Zionist Organization, asserted that the proposal was not in accordance with the international obligations to Jews inherent in the spirit of the League of Nations mandate. He read the resolution of the last World Zionist Congress at Lucerne opposing the plan on the ground it would tend to crystallize the status of the Jews as a minority in Palestine.
Isaac Ben-Zvi, president of the Palestine Jewish National Council, (Vaad Leumi) declared Palestine Jewry associates itself with the resolution. A similar statement was made by A. L. Maleh, president of the Sephardic Jewish Community.
Rabbi Moshe Blau of the extreme orthodox Agudath Israel asked whether the proposal constitutes application of the mandate. He received an unclear reply from Sir John Hathorn-Hall, chief Government secretary, whereupon Sir Arthur suggested that questions be submitted in writing.
Rabbi Blau then read a statement for the Agudah declaring it did not oppose autonomy for Palestine’s population but that it was convinced the time is not yet ripe for the council, first, because of increased Arab incitement against the Jews, and second, because the council might destroy the Jews’ last hope that Britain would not weaken in “carrying out the task of Providence” in aiding the Jews of Germany and other European countries. Rabbi Blau held Palestine is the sole hope of the “desperate Jews” of western Europe and Germany.
After the conference, the Jewish leaders proceeded to the office of the Jewish Agency to deliberate on further Jewish action in the crisis.
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