Albert Einstein, in an interview with the Parisian Jewish paper “Hajnt,” said that “the most important problem facing us (the Jews) is the Arab question. Until now we acted as if we lived in a vacuum without paying any earnest attention to what was going on among the Arabs. Our present duty is to find ways of co-existence with the Palestine Arabs.
“It is necessary to create a series of non-political mixed institutions such as economic unions and insurance companies and through these daily Jewish Arab contacts and collaboration an amicable understanding will be reached. There is also a wide field open before us for the enlightening of the Arabs.
“It is also necessary to make clear to our Jewish masses that we can not conduct our policy along lines of ultra nationalism similar to the nationalistic chauvinism current in other countries. Our extreme nationalism in Palestine will only be counteracted by an extreme nationalism from the other party, something which we have unfortunately already achieved.
“We must regard the occurrences in Palestine as symptoms requiring serious treatment. In this respect we should not rely upon England’s protection, but we must demand that England do nothing to sharpen the animosity between Jew and Arab, but as for friendship, that remains our duty.”
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.
