Palestine: A Modern History (ص 22)

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Palestine: A Modern History (ص 22)

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46 = Polarisation: The Military Administration 1917-1920 ze
on future Anglo-Arab relations in, Palestine:
i boy 4
The policy which is enunciated ‘in clause No‘4 (regarding ‘Jewish
Colonization in Palestine) ‘will meet with’strong opposition from
both Christian and Moslem Arabs who have, already: shown distrust
of the lengths, to which H.Mt Government are prepared to go as
consequence of Mr. Balfour’s announement to: the Zionists.’
Two weeks earlier, Clayton had laitl the alternatives before Sykes: ‘We
have therefore to consider whether the situation’'demands out and. out
support of Zionism at the risk of alienating the Arabs at,a critical
moment.'> In a memorandum to the: War Cabinet circulated to the
Middle East Committee, Sykes indicated his.choice as to the two
alternatives set out by Clayton. ‘Palestine and our Ziortist declaration
combined gives us and the Entente, as a whole a. hold, over the vital,
vocal and sentimental forces of Jewry’.!©
A Crowd of Weeds
Sykes added: that a«‘crowd of weeds’ were growing around British
(political) assets in the area; the first of the weeds on his list was “Arab
unrest in regard to Zionism’, in.
In view of Palestinian Arab reactions to ‘the Balfour Declaration and
the JNH policy, the Military Authorities, who were primarily berit on
winning the War and’ preserving peace, and order in the country, with-
held‘publication of the Declaration in Palestine throughout the period
of the military administration and attempted to stick to the Law and
Usages of War.’® However, according to Colonel Ronald Storrs,: the
Military Governor of Jerusalem during the period of the Military
Occupation:
The Military,, Administration notably contravened the Status Quo, in
the.matter of Zionism. .. General Allenby’s very first proclamation
and all that issued from me were in Hebrew, as well as in English and
Arabic. Departmental and public notices were in Hebrew and, as
soon as possible, official and municipal receipts,also. We had Jewish
officers on our staffs, Jewish Clerks and interpreters in our offices.
For these deliberate and yital infractions of military practice OETA
was criticized both within and without Palestine.’®
This, however, did not satisfy many leading Zionists in Palestine who
were anxious to turn Palestine into a Jewish State ‘as Jewish as England
** proposed that ‘the whole administration of Palestine shall be so formed
Polarisation: The Military. Administration 191°7-1920 47
: sa72920 * n
is English’. as soon asipossible. Dr Weizmann,:the Zionist leader
as to make of Palestine 2 Jewish Commonwealth’ under British
" trustgeship’.” Zionist-impatienceHed to a-certain amount of friction
between the home authorities, who were willing to give way to Zionist
schemes and pressures, and the local British authorities in Palestine and
Egypt who «were responsible for carrying out the Zionist policies in
the face-of Arab resentment and-countet-pressures.
Indicatiye, of, the pace contemplated by, Balfour and Weizmann
was the ihterview-in December 1918, at the Foreign Office, where the
Zionist leader revealed his plans to the British Foreign Secretary:
a community of four to five million Jews in Palestine. . from which
the. Jews could radidte out into the Near East.. But all this pre-
©. Supposes free and unfettered development of. the Jewish National
# Home.in Palestine not.mere facilities for colonisation.
\
The British were less concerned about these grandiose plans at that
time than they were about preserving their war position in the area.
To achieve this end an Arab-Zionist understanding was deerhed
_ ftecessary. Forcing the hand of King Hussein on the Zionist issue was
"the first step in this direction:
7 “an this matter it should be pointed: out to the King that the friend-
-& ship of world Jewry to the Arab cause is equivalent to support in all
States where Jews have political influence.”*
uly t
.% Furthermore, as a result of Clayton’s efforts, the Arab Committee in
- @airo, valias ‘the Sytian Welfare Committee,' undertook to send emissaries
_ ti Palestine to ‘persuade the Palestinian Arabs to take a more
° donciliatory attitude towards Zionism.
et These efforts :did not.allay Arab ‘suspicions.in Palestine. Clayton’s
“weekly reports front Jerusalem corisistently, talked ‘of Palestinian
wheasiness at Zionist activity and distrust of Britain’s ‘Zionist policy’.
‘ Howards the end of Febriary, 1918, Clayton reparted that ‘Educated
Moslems are still much disturbed at what they deem preferential treat-
Aont of the Jews and at the possibility of Jewish domination,’
Owing to the general war considerations, the British Government
Was anxious that a Zionist Commission visit Palestine, headed by
“Weizmann with Captain W. Ormsby-Gore as its liaison officer. The
_ Boreign Office informed Wingate that the
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تاريخ

1978

المنشئ

Abdul-Wahhab Kayyali

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