Colonial Secretary William Ormsby-Gore refuted in the House of Commons today allegations by Stephen Davies, Laborite member, that the position of the fellaheen (Arab peasants) in Palestine had grown worse since 1930, when 29.4 per cent of rural Arab families were landless.
Mr. Ormsby-Gore pointed out that many of these families never had land and lived by labor rather than cultivation. He said that the position of the fellaheen has been considerably improved by measures such as provide protection of tenants, reduction of indebtedness, reform of land taxation.
W. Gallacher, Communist member, declared that the Arab strike was partly based on the fact that they are being driven off the land.
Mr. Ormsby-Gore replied “I cannot accept that suggestion for one moment.
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