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Louis Lipsky, Back, Says Change in Britain’s Palestine Policy is Expected

September 5, 1926
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The unemployment in Palestine is a complicated and unpleasant problem, but it can be overcome if greater funds are placed at the disposal of the Zionist Executive, Mr. Lipsky, president of the Zionist Organization of America, stated to the representative of the Jewish Daily Bulletin on his return to New York on the S.S. Mauretania yesterday. Mr. Lipsky, who took a leading part in the sessions of the Zionist Actions Committee in London, stated that never was there such a spirit of unity displayed as at the Actions Committee meeting this time. This was due to the fact that prior to the sessions a center group was organized, which met continually and endeavored to maintain a spirit of harmony.

One of the important questions which occupied the attention of the Committee was the naturalization ordinance in Palestine. This ordinance caused dissatisfaction because it imposes too high costs on the applicants and makes it difficult for Jews to acquire Palestinian citizenship. A resolution was adopted by the Committee, urging the removal of these difficulties, as well as the opening of naturalization offices in the Jewish colonies. An appropriation was made by the Committee of a fund to conduct a campaign among Palestine Jews to apply for naturalization.

A change in the British policy in the near future with regard to the Palestine mandate is expected, Mr. Lipsky stated. “The British government has been convinced that it is its task to facilitate the Jewish upbuilding work of Palestine. This hoped for change may soon be embodied in concrete facts,” he said.

Asked whether Revisionism was discussed at the Actions Committee meeting, Mr. Lipsky stated, smilingly: “The only place where Revisionism exists is in the minds of New York Jewish newspapermen. In Europe nobody hears of it. At the meeting of the Actions Committee Revisionism was not discussed, directly or indirectly. All the fanfare of Revisionism being strong in the Zionist movement in Europe is nothing but a bluff,” he stated.

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