Dr. Judah L. Magnes, head of the Hebrew University, today appealed to Jews and Arabs in Palestine to abandon their “maximalist aspirations” and seek to achieve a Semitic union closely linked to the Anglo-America world.
Asserting his belief that a peaceful solution of Arab-Jewish differences could be reached in an autonomous bi-national Palestine which would be part of a wider Arab federation which, in turn, would be affiliated with the greater union of the free nations of the world, Dr. Magnes outlined the measures he considered necessary for this.
First, he declared, since all Jews support the United Nations in this war and not all Arabs do so, the chief function of the Jews in the Near East is to help reconcile the Arabs with the Anglo-American world. The first step in this, he said, was to bring about Arab-Jewish union in Palestine.
He then urged the Arabs to hold the vision of a great Arab-Semitic union affiliated with the Anglo-American world, and from this wider concept, to welcome Jewish aid in the creation of this Semitic federation “The Jews can help as no other people can or will – scientifically, financially and socially in industry and agriculture – to build up an Arab-Semitic federation,” Dr. Magnes asserted
URGES ESTABLISHMENT OF CONSULTATIVE BODY OF 30 REPRESENTATIVE PALESTINIANS
He proposed the immediate establishment of a consultative body of thirty representative Palestine citizens, over which the British High Commissioner would preside. This body would not deal with controversial issues such as immigration, land-sale restrictions and constitution, he pointed out, but with war-time problems such as recruiting, supplies and rationing Jews and Arabs, he urged, should also be appointed heads of non-controversial government departments as well as members of the advisory and executive councils of the Palestine government.
“This is far from an Arab or a Jewish State,” Dr. Magnes commented, “or even a bi-national state, but it is a beginning towards union within a bi-national state.”
Dr. Magnes warned that “maximalists of both the Jewish and Arab camps are now in the ascendancy” and that the political estrangement of the two people widens daily. He rejected the view that this conflict represented a dilemma which could be solved only by the arbitrament of arms and urged that a peaceful solution was possible and could be achieved.
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