Dr. Chaim Weizmann today told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency correspondent that he had conferred with influential members of the Mandates Commission as well as with Sir Eric Drummond, Secretary-General of the League of Nations, describing to them the Palestinian situation and the attitude of the British government which culminated in the suspension of immigration, which the Jewish people regard as a breach of Mandate, although the British government is trying to justify its action by purely formal motives.
These dual obligations towards the Jews and the Arabs which Great Britain claims are unsurpassable difficulties are not well-founded, according to Dr. Weizmann. On the contrary, he is perfectly convinced of the possibility of harmonizing the interests of Jews and Arabs towards the upbuilding of Palestine as well as of neighboring countries, an upbuilding which would prove an important contribution towards civilization.
Evil powers however, continued the President of the Jewish Agency, are at work who bear in mind neither Jewish nor Arab interests, who undermine that peaceful collaboration which has already begun between these two peoples. Dr. Weizmann also declared that he is not prepared to take a stand on the declaration of Dr. Shiels, British Undersecretary for the Colonies, before the Mandates Commission, but that he appreciates the sentiments which led Dr. Shiels to make the additional statement.
“We are concerned, but we have faith in the future,” Dr. Weizmann concluded. “We are hopeful that the government’s action will follow the declaration of Dr. Shiels.”
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
