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Magnes’s Statements Have Had No Result, Good or Bad, Says Morgenthau

December 8, 1929
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Pointing out that what Dr. Judah L. Magnes, or anyone else, for that matter, says in relation to conditions in Palestine makes no difference to the Arabs, Henry Morgenthau, former ambassador to Turky, says in the current issue of the “Jewish Journal,” published in this city, that “it would be erroneous to attribute to Dr. Magnes’s statement in favor of a Palestine parliament, and for the withdrawal of the Balfour Declaration any result, good or bad.”

Mr. Morgenthau says that the Arabs complete “system of espionage informs them of the countless internal dissensions in all Jewry, and they know and take advantage of the fact that Jewry is disunited; and that no man can speak with the voice of the entire, or even with the majority’s wish. The Arabs know that he (Dr. Magnes) represents only the slightest minority, as do the British likewise.

“As far as the parliament is concerned, we have but to turn to the Grecian and Polish parliaments to understand what a handful of Jewish representatives signifies. Five men have nearly no voice at all. The clash between the Arabs and the Jews was and will be unavoidable, because the Arabs feel that they are in possession of Palestine and were promised political control (this is axiomatic) and as one of them expressed it to me, they feel that they have taken a few tenants into their big home, and that these tenants are now endeavoring to obtain the ownership and to oust the Arabs. At the same time they told me that they would use legal force, and force of arms if necessary to maintain their position.

“There can be no complete, effective settlement until an understanding between the Arabs and the Jews is drawn up. This does not mean more declarations and assertions on the part of either or both. It must be conclusive and binding. I doubt its possibility. At all events it will require much persuasion to convince the Arabs that there has been a change in the Jewish heart since the Zionists read into Balfour Declaration what the Arabs did not and do not find there. Finally, nothing can be done until the Jews agree among themselves upon a policy. They must have a united axis of action. There must be a single pivotal point about which all Jews can be moved. This seems impossible. But the Arab leaders have evolved their policy. It is fixed, long contemplated, and care fully planned.”

NO INDIAN NATIVES FOR PALESTINE

The Indian Press Bureau of New York today denied the statement emanating from Jerusalem that Ghandi had asked permission of the Indian Viceroy for 20,000 natives to leave India for Palestine to act as guards for the Holy Places.

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