Says Possibility of Arab Jewish Conciliation Britain’s Real Problem

The real problem in Palestine today is the question whether a reconciliation can be effected between the Jews and the Arabs, is the statement made by the “Near East and India Magazine,” said to be close to the Colonial Office.

In a full page editorial under the heading “The Palestine Conflict,” the magazine writes: “Outside observers, while convinced that Great Britain will continue to execute the Palestine Mandate to the best of her ability, despite the opinion to the contrary entertained by a section of the British press, still speculate variously upon the precise form in which the Mandatory will endeavor to soothe the intense acerbities which latterly have been only too visible. Undoubtedly the action of the British government will be solely based on the findings of the Inquiry Commission. British public opinion, which after all is the main arbiter in this affair, will not voice its opinion on the matter because it is still subjudice. Neverthless, it is only natural that tetempts should be made to influence public opinion before the Inquiry Commission has completed its work.”

After analyzing in detail the Arab and Zionist viewpoints and their attitudes toward the Palestine Administration, questions of the Mandate and the Balfour Declaration, the editorial continues: “Since these opinions generally involve questions of major policy, the Commission will not hear them. However, they will form the background of thought of rival witnesses before the Commission, and should be the subject of study of the people interested in the Palestine situation in order to see whether any real possibility of reconciliation exists, because the real problem of Palestine forms the possibility of reconciliation between the Arabs and the Zionists. Cynics might of course say that since both the Arabs and the Jews disapprove of the Palestine Administration, consequently the policy probably is quite sound, but cynics, even in Eastern matters are not always right,” the editorial concludes.