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Mixed Palestine Parliament Seen As Blow to Jews in Holy Land

June 28, 1934
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The High Commissioner of Palestine, Sir Arthur Grenfell Wauchope, is inclined to establish the much-talked-of Legislative Council (Mixed Parliament for Palestine), even though the Jews should refuse to participate in such a council, it is learned here on good authority.

The High Commissioner is understood to be of the opinion that in the end the Jews will participate in the parliament whether or not they would like to. The disinclination of the Jewish population to endorse the council, which will probably be proclaimed immediately after the country-wide municipal elections have been completed is based on the fear that the council may serve the government as a means of evading certain of the conditions of the Palestine mandate.

The distribution of Jewish and Arab votes and seats in the council is not yet known. It appears, however, that the combined English and Arab votes will outweigh the Jewish, so that with Arab support laws unfavorable to Jewish interests might be put through. Moreover, the existence of the council will obviate the possibility of any appeal to the League of Nations, since the English government will no longer be the agent directly responsible for the passage of laws.

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