White Paper Made Wailing Wall Situation Worse Says London “jewish Chronicle”

Says Government Prejudiced Mutual Agreement by Weight Given Moslems (Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

The publication of the British White Paper on the Wailing Wall issue has made the situation in this Arab-Jewish dispute much worse than it was before, is the view expressed by the London “Jewish Chronicle” commenting in today’s issue on the document.

The suggestion of the White Paper that Jews and Arabs reach a mutual agreement with regard to this matter is to be welcomed. The Government, however, has prejudiced such a possibility by the heavy weight given in the document to the Moslem position. The action of the British Government is reminiscent of the famous Lincoln story that his wife wanted a room painted green while he favored red. They finally compromised by painting the room green.

The explanation of the Government which makes the Jews appear as having a concession from the Moslems is severely limiting the right of the Jews to pray at the Wall. Palestine is no longer a Turkish province. A radical overhauling of the Wall regulations must be effected in the spirit and terms of the Palestine Mandate. The interpretation given by the Government is contradictory. The reasoning of the Palestine Government that the Wall is a purely Moslem sacred shrine is obviously wrong in view of the ancient Jewish rights to the Wall. The present ruling is deplorable, since it makes the repetition of similar incidents not only possible but unavoidable, states the paper.