London Times Suggests Partition of Palestine; Says Action is Urgent

The partition of Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states, with the holy places separated from both, is urged by the London Times in the longest editorial ever carried by the newspaper on Palestine.

The paper argues that no one successfully disputed the original recommendation of the Royal Commission to have Palestine partitioned. It then goes on to emphasize that “urgent action” on the part of the new British Government is the only hope of avoiding serious trouble in the Middle East.

“Only the partitioning of Palestine can reconcile the growth of the Jewish National Home whose destiny shall be entirely under Jewish control with the right of the Arab community to secure the pursuit of its own national political development,” the London Times writes. It points out that the instituting of territorial limitations within Palestine for the Jewish National Home “would enable it to develop into an international state without the hostility of the-Arab population.”

The article goes on to suggest that the part of Palestine which will not fall into the Jewish State may eventually join the other Arab countries on a federative basis. “Britain is endeavoring to bring about reconciliation between Jews and Arabs and is entitled to expect from her Allies, whether West or East, recognition of the honesty of her purpose and appreciation of the difficulties involved,” the editorial declares. “This is essential for the successful accomplishment of international security.”

Discussing the declarations issued by the World Zionist Conference, the London Times says; “There can scarcely be a limit to the reparations which the civilized world owes to the Jewish people so grievously wronged.” At the same time the article emphasizes that the British policy with regard to Palestine is a “vulnerable joint in her Middle Eastern armor through which arrows of Axis propaganda shrewdly struck, as shown by the seditional activities of the ex-Mufti.”