Moslem Council Declares Conflict Chiefly Religious

The Moslem Supreme Council replied today to Great Britain’s expressed determination to end the Arab general strike, declaring it regarded the strike as a legal means of demonstrating the Arabs’ resentment against the influx of Jews.

In a statement made public by Haj Amin el Husseini, the Grand Mufti, the council characterized the present situation as primarily a religious conflict and said the Arabs feared their holy places were endangered.

The statement was given to High Commissioner Sir Arthur Grenfell Wauchope to be sent by airmail to London, Davar. Hebrew daily, said the Arab Supreme Committee had rejected the declaration.

The statement said:

“The Moslem Supreme Council has repeatedly declared to the Palestine Government that the Arab people will never consent to the establishment of a Jewish national home in a holy Moslem country, and similarly that it will not consent to Jewish immigration and transfer of Arab lands to Jews, which impair the Arabs’ existence.

“The Council demands the establishment of a parliamentary government and the fulfillment of the promises made in 1916 and 1918 to the Arabs.

“At the same time, the Council regards the present policy as most dangerous to the holy places, including the Elaksa. The Council believes the roots of the Jewish movement for a national home only in Palestine to be religious. Therefore, the Zionist problem is chiefly religious, since the Jews rejected establishment of a national home in other larger countries offered them because they aim at re-establishment of the Holy Temple. This has already been proved to the Shaw Commission.

“The Council finds no reason for the Government to continue this policy which has been proven a failure and a hindrance to the Government. Therefore, the Council regards the general strike as the one legal means to demonstrate that an aggressive policy toward the Arabs will only enrage the people.”