September 1930
417
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The Jew and Arab Controversy Over Palestine B y J. A . H uffman {Marion, Indiana)
Î AM keenly conscious that I am to discuss a sub ject of international interest and of world con sequence. What has happened and is happening in Palestine affects the world politically, socially, economically, and religiously. As Palestine was once the battle ground of the nations of the east, so now she has become the battle ground of the nations of the world. J ewish and A rab C laims Briefly stated, the Jews claim Palestine. This claim is based upon God’s promises to Abraham, and the fact that, apart from Palestine, the Jews have no national home.
dren. They erected three or four electrical plants for light and power. It is estimated that the Jews have invested sixty millions of dollars in Palestine. Incidentally, this money has made rich men of a few Arabs, extensive land holders from whom the Jews purchased. In the ten years previous to 1929, the Jewish population in Palestine in creased from 83,794 to 160,000. C lash of I nterests Every success achieved by the Jews appears to the Arab to spell defeat for him. He now discovers that the Jews are in possession of a large part of the most fertile farm land in Palestine,, while the Arabs are tilling rocky
It is further based upon the B a l f o u r Declaration of 1917, made in behalf of the g o v e r n m e n t of Great Britain, and ratified by the League of Nations in 1922, when the mandatory power over Palestine was given to that government. The Bal four Declaration reads as follows: “ H i s Majesty’s Government view with fa vor the establishment in Palestine of a n a t i o n a l home for the Jewish people, apd will use their best en deavors to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of
hillsides. The Arab sees himself outclassed in meth ods of agriculture. The Jews are being financed from wealth across the seas, with a low rate of interest or none to pay, while the borrowing Arab in Pales tine must pay an average of not less than thirty per cent interest. The Jews are liv ing in more comfortable houses than the Arabs, and enjoying a better living. The Arab fears for his future. He believes that the Jew intends to drive him from his home. He pro fesses that he does not fear so much for his religion, as for his political and eco nomic safety. But for the
existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by the Jews in any other country.” The Arabs of Palestine claim the country because of their conquest and centuries of occupation. Mohammedan Arabs press their claims upon Palestine as descendants of Abraham through Ishmael. They argue that the Jews have lost all claim to Palestine because of their disobe dience which resulted in their captivity. They quote cer tain prophetic utterances to prove this. Still further, they claim that Great Britain promised Palestine to them in 1916, in return for their joining the armies of the Allies in the World War. J ew ish A chievements It is evident that the Jews took the British Mandate, based upon the Balfour Declaration, at its face value. Led by the Zionists, they commenced in earnest the movement toward their long-desired national home. They began im migration, purchased lands, farmed colonies, erected houses, built towns, introduced modern methods of agri culture, drained swamps, organized manufacturing indus tries of various kinds, and planted forests. They also pro vided hospitals for their sick and schools for their chil-
Mohammedan Arab there is unquestionably the religious aspect, and therefore a religious fanaticism constantly fans the fire which burns in the hearts of the Arab popula tion. All these things were back of the Arab uprisings in 1929 which cost hundreds of lives of both Arabs and Jews. As in most unfortunate incidents, there has been fault on both sides. It is quite evident that the Jew has not come to Palestine to live with the Arab, but quite apart from him. The Jew in Palestine is frequently bigoted, and often carries “ a chip on his shoulder.” It is well known that* the Jews themselves were partly to blame for the riots of 1929. But this does not justify the Arab for his false hoods which helped to incite the trouble, nor for the mur der of men, and even women and children, of which he is guilty. It was an Arab massacre, in which Jews sought to defend themselves. T he P alestinian M andate D ifficult It is easily seen that the British Government has a dif ficult proposition on hand in the Palestinian Mandate, for it involves two nations with conflicting interests. Whether the Mandate can be administered so as to make Palestine a “ national home” for the Jews, without prejudicing “ the civil and religious rights of non-Jewish communities in
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