Results of Vaad Leumi Delegation’s Work in Geneva Are Outlined

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency Mail Service)

The delegation of the Vaad Leumi, National Council of Palestine Jews, to the Permanent Mandates Commission at its recent meeting in Geneva, succeeded in bringing about two concrete results, according to M. Dizengoff, former Mayor of Tel Aviv and member of the delegation, in an interview with the representative of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency here.

“The delegation.” Mr. Dizengoff declared, “on coming to Geneva found that there was a great deal of misunderstanding among the members of the Mandates Commission on two cardinal questions, which the delegation were able to dispel. The first concerned the position of the different Jewish communities in Palestine. The Agudah had spread abroad the impression that all Zionists were atheists out to deprive the Agudists of their freedom of conscience. The Vaad Leumi delegations made it clear to the members of the Mandates Commission that among the Zionists there were people of different points of view with regard to religious observances. They saw that there was a Rabbi among the Vaad Leumi delegates. They were given to understand that the Agudah did not even posses any significant synagogues in Palestine and that most of the synagogues were represented on the Vaad Leumi. The whole superstructure of the Agudah petition therefore collapsed and the Commission practically dismissed it,” he declared.

“The second misunderstanding was on the point of the relations between the Jews and the Arabs in Palestine. The members of the Mandates Commission were under the impression that the Jews and Arabs in Palestine belong to two opposed and hostile camps. The delegation explained to them the true position, that there is a genuine feeling of friendliness on the part of the Jews of Palestine towards the Arabs. This made a tremendous impression on the members of the Mandates Commission and changed their whole attitude towards the question, with the result that all those who were opposed to the Jewish point of view ceased to be so.”

Mr. Dizengoff also spoke of the admission of the Palestine League of Nations Union of which he is the President, to membership in the International Federation of League of Nations Societies. “The chief opposition.” Mr. Dizengoff said, “came from the Italian member who accused the Jews of being enemies of the Arab population of Palestine and therefore having no right to represent Palestine on the International Federation. This point of view was resented by the British and other delegates.”