Charges that the acquisition of land by the Jews in Palestine are contrary to Arab interests were repudiated by Dr. Chaim Weizmann, president of the World Zionist Organization, in a message to the Mid-Western convention of the Jewish National Fund which opens here Sunday. Dr. Weizmann declared that the most important Jewish land purchases were not from the poor fellaheen but from the large effendi landowners.
In his message Dr. Weizmann said, “the possession of the land reserves as the inalienable property of the Jewish people constitutes the most solid foundation of the Jewish National Home. Recent experiences have shown the force of Ussishkin’s insistent demand for increased and vigorous action on behalf of the Jewish National Fund. It is suggested in quarters hostile to Zionism that the acquisition of Jewish land is contrary to the interests of the Arabs.
“Anyone with the slightest regard for the truth can easily be convinced that the charge is without foundation. We have paid dearly for every inch of land. Our conscience is clear in respect to the land question as in all our other efforts to make in Palestine the Jewish National Home and to transform it into a fit country or all its inhabitants.”
The call for the Jewish National Fund Convention was issued by Professor Gustave Klausner, Max Shulman, H. Steinberg, Judge Hugo Pam, Judge Harry Fisher and Miss Pearl Franklin.
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