To the Editor, Jewish Daily Bulletin:
So the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem is negotiating with the Palestine government for a $500,000 loan to purchase land which Arab tribesmen threaten to sell to Jews!
The surprising thing, to me, is that the Palestine government actually dignifies these demands by negotiating with the Arab leader, since the money asked is money gained through Jewish endeavor, via taxation, in Palestine.
Behind this move can be seen the fear of Arab landowners for their system of peonage, from which they make generous livings at the expense of thousands of Arab tenant-farmers. The Jews are offered land held by Bedouin tribes “in trust” and the Arab landowners call for government aid, with Jewish money, against this.
And the Palestine government graciously lends $500,000 to Transjordan to build up the country and succor tribesmen “in danger of starvation.”
Yet, when these selfsame Arabs offered to lease land across the Jordan, properly speaking Palestine, but unfortunately divided by the British, to Jews for settlement, the British government stepped in and made an end of the plan.
Hyman Mackler.
New York City,
Dec. 31, 1934.
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