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Mufti Heads Arab Witnesses; to Project Pan-arabic Views

January 12, 1937
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The Pan-Arabic rather than the purely local Arab viewpoint will be projected before the Royal Commission of Inquiry when Arab leaders open presentation of testimony tomorrow, it was disclosed today.

This was assured when it was learned that extremists in the Arab Supreme Committee had overcome moderates, succeeding after a long fight in appointing the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Ha j Amin el Husseini, as the leading Arab witness. Choice of the Grand Mufti, who is also president of the Arab Supreme Committee, means that his opponent, former Jerusalem mayor Ragheb bey Nashashibi, will be unable to present the local Arab case.

The Grand Mufti will be assisted by only a few members of the committed in presentation of testimony, it was decided.

The Arab hearings will be public and are expected to last between three and four days.

It is understood that the Royal Commission, while visiting Amman, capital of the Transjordan, tried to influence Palestine Arabs, through several channels, not to present extreme anti-mandate requests.

With the Arab case expected to open tomorrow with an address by the Grand Mufti, editorials in the Hebrew newspapers expressed wonder whether Arab witnesses would have as hard a time before the commission as had the Jewish witnesses.

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