The sessions here of the Anti-Imperialist League, a Communist-controlled organization, witnessed anti-Zionist demonstrations and became the vehicle for the adoption of anti-Zionist resolutions.
The representative from Iraq, Bu###, speaking in the name of a Pan-Arab Committee, asserted that “the Balfour Declaration was nothing but camouflage.” There is no political freedom in Palestine, he said, but a chronic unemployment.
Ben Saul, a representative of the Left Poale Zion, Commuistically inclined, defended the rights of the Jewish proletariat in Palestine, but launched an attack on what he termed the Arab Jewish bourgeoisie. He asserted that the British government prevents the immigration to Palestine of Jewish Communists and Left Poale Zionists. Only a united front of the Arab and Jewish masses will wrest freedom for Palestine from British imperialism, he said.
The Arab delegation read a strong declaration against the Zionist movement. The declaration asserted that Zionism was an instrument of British imperialism employed for the purpose of splitting up the Arab countries. Representatives of the French and German delegations attending the Congress expressed agreement with the Arab view.
Saklatvala, former Communist member of the House of Commons, declared that the executive committee of the Anti-Imperialist League will inquire into the Palestine question and issue a statement concerning it. The immigration of Arab friendly persons to Palestine is justifiable, but not the im- (Continued on Page 8)
The Anti-Imperialist Congress adopted a resolution against Zionism, declaring that it “supports British Imperialism against the Arab people.” The resolution further asserted that the Jewish National Home idea is merely a pretext for the purpose of bringing into Palestine workers from Europe who are to constitute a labor aristocracy as against the exploited Arab workers. Zionism, the resolution further stated, is dangerous because it comes in the cloak of humanitarian work and develops in Palestine a social reformism patterned after the ideas of the second Socialist International. It is for this reason that Social Democrats, such as MacDonald, Vandervelde and Blum. Join the pro-Palestine committees.
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