In an article in the “Doar Hayom” of Jerusalem of January 7, Vladimir Jabotinsky, Revisionist leader, discusses the criticisms leveled at the Revisionists and the “Doar Hayom” at the session of the Inquiry Commission because of the demonstration of Jewish youth in Jerusalem last Tisha B’Ab. To the accusation that the “Doar Hayom” incited Jewish public opinion, Jabotinsky answers that the paper only did its duty by giving expression at a critical moment to what the Jews really felt and thought, that is, their indignation at their being continually insulted and deprived of their rights at the Wailing Wall. Jabotinsky, who is the editor of “Doar Hayom,” assumes full responsibility for the attitude of his paper, even during his absence in Europe.
“As far as the demonstration of Jewish youth is concerned, I can say to my great sorrow that it wasn’t organized by the Brith Trumpeldor,” says Jabotinsky. “It would have been much better had Brith Trumpeldor organized the demonstration, since the demonstration at that time was a necessary, a useful and a beautiful thing. It was necessary because an unbearable atmosphere had been created in which it appeared that the Jews had given up everything, so that some one had to get up and say: ‘Thus far and no further!’ The argument that the Arabs shouldn’t have been stirred up is a heritage of the ghetto; in Palestine we are not merely tolerated guests, and in order to show this, the demonstration was necessary.
“But it was beautiful too. It made, even abroad in the Galuth countries, a great impression. And finally it was useful, for if it is criticized for calling forth the riots, we must say then that it served a worthy purpose. For there is great strategic value in forcing the enemy to strike even before he can finish his preparations. It is clear that the Arabs had been preparing themselves for a long time, but that they weren’t yet sufficiently prepared. One can imagine what would have happened had we given them time for the fullest preparation.”
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