Amanda Ball
Kathy Chilikov
Leah Johnston
Alice O’Neill
Analyze the impact on the Palestine Mandate of Jewish immigration and land
purchases between 1919 and 1939.
Introduction:
Contention over the land that creates the Palestine Mandate stems from the religious
significance that both the Jewish and Islamic communities attribute to the region.
Between 1919 and 1939, the division between the two communities was fueled by
British responses to immigration and land issues. Increasing, continuous Jewish
immigration and issues regarding land purchases evoked fear in the Palestinian-Arab
community of a Jewish-dominated government, which led to violence and further
divided the two communities.
I.
Jewish Immigration (1919-1930)
a. King-Crane Commission (1919)
i. The King-Crane Commission recognized that “definite
encouragement had been given to the Zionists by the Allies in
Mr. Balfour’s often quoted statement,” but that “a ‘national home
for the Jewish people’ is not equivalent to making Palestine into
a Jewish state,” and that the creation of a Jewish state could not
be done “without the gravest trespass upon [the Arabs in
Palestine]” (“The King-Crane Commission”).
ii. Concluded that “Jewish immigration should be definitely limited”
(“The King-Crane Commission”).
iii. The King-Crane Commission was never published, but provides
evidence regarding British attitudes toward the Palestine
Mandate in 1919.
1. Jewish immigration was already posing as a threat to the
“‘civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish
communities in Palestine’” (“The King-Crane
Commission”).
b. Immigration Patterns (1919-1930)
i. The Third Aliyah took place from 1919-1923, and resulted in the
immigration of 35,000 Jewish immigrants to Palestine.
ii.
The Fourth Aliyah took place from 1924-1930, and resulted in the
immigration of 80,000 Jewish immigrants to Palestine.
1. Within twelve years, the Jewish population had
significantly increased, and, although still smaller than
the Arab population, was creating established
communities throughout Palestine (Table 1: Aliyah,
1840-2000).
c. Jaffa Riots (1921)
i. Events escalated, resulting in the eventual deaths of 47 members
of the Jewish community, and 48 Arabs.
ii. Haycraft Commission (1921)
1. Concluded that the Arabs were responsible for the
violence that ensued during the Jaffa Riots.
2. The “Arab resentment had a legitimate basis in the Arab
fear of economic danger posed by Jewish immigrants and
the perceived political influence of the Jews on the
mandatory government” (Bickerton 48).
3. Jews regarded Palestine as “a deserted, derelict
land…[when they were actually] seeking a home in a
country…[which was] overwhelmingly Arab” (New York
Times Article, 11-9-1921).
iii.
iv.
Churchill White Paper (1922)
1. Reaffirmed British commitment to the Balfour
Declaration.
a. Pointed out that “a Jewish National Home…should
be founded in Palestine,” rather than in Palestine,
as a whole (“The Churchill White Paper”).
2. Established that all citizens of Palestine should be
considered “in the eyes of the law…[as] Palestinian”
(“The Churchill White Paper).
3. Recognized that Jews had largely begun to develop a
community with “‘national’ characteristics” (“The
Churchill White Paper).
4. Established idea of “economic absorptive capacity” (“The
Churchill White Paper).
a. This ambiguous phrase was seen by the Jewish
community as an incentive to develop
economically; this led an increase in job
opportunities, which led to an increase in Jewish
immigration.
Western Wall (1928)
iii. Both the Jewish and Arab communities had religious associations
with the Western Wall.
iv.
The Jews were permitted to use the facility, but could not place
furniture (including screens) to separate genders during prayer.
1. British had to forcibly remove screen, causing a major
uproar in response to the perceived threats of Zionism on
holy places of Islam (Cleveland 250).
v. Riots at Hebron and Safad in 1929 resulted in the deaths of 133
Jews and 116 Palestinian-Arabs.
vi. Shaw Commission (1930)
1. British inquiry into Western Wall disturbances.
2. Concludes that the source of tension was the creation of
the landless class of Arabs, and a general Arab fear of a
Jewish-ruled Palestine.
3. Recommends that Jewish immigration be limited through
British authority, and that the Arab community be defined
(Cleveland 250).
II. Jewish Immigration 190-1939
A. The Hope Simpson Report (1930)
1. Labor government’s commission on the Western Wall Disturbances
(1938-1929).
a. Commission finds 30 percent of the Arab population to be
landless.
b. “It has emerged quite definitely that there is at the present
time and with the present methods of Arab cultivation no
margin of land available for agricultural settlement by new
immigrants” (“ Hope Simpson Report 1930”)
c. This is largely due to the Jewish national Fund and various
other Jewish Agencies purchasing the land.
i.
There is a surplus of Jewish owned land that has yet
to be cultivated.
ii.
“ The government is in possession of large areas of
vacant lands which could be made available for
Jewish settlement” (“Hope Simpson Report 1930”)
d. Thus immigration needs to be limited as people residing
within Palestine can utilize the land they already own.
i.
Palestine has reached “ an economic absorptive
capacity.
2. Passfield White Paper
a. Calls for a halt in Jewish immigration.
b. It recommends that government land be sold only to landless
Arabs.
c. “ Determination of economic absorptive capacity be based on
levels of Arab as well Jewish unemployment” (Bickerton and
Klausner 50)
B. Mc Donald Letter (1931)/ The Black Letter
1. British Explanatory letter following the Hope- Simpson Report and the
Passified Letter.
a. Chaim Weizman lobbies successfully to have the Prime
Minister Ramsey McDonald nullify the Hope- Simpson
provisions and once again permit immigration to Palestine.
b. Mc Donald affirms Britain’s intent to aid in facilitating a “
homeland in Palestine” and acknowledges that the rights of
the “ non- Jewish community” will not be harmed.
C. Government Sponsored anti- Semitism
1. Jews begin to emigrate from Poland, Hungry and Romania.
a. “The rise to power in Germany of Adolf Hitler, the
Nuremberg racial laws, and subsequent legislation directed
against the Jews, and the deliberate encouragement of Jews
to leave the country, led to new waves of Jewish immigration
into Palestine” (Bickerton and Klausner 50)
b. Between 1933 and 1936 approximately 165,000 Jews entered
Palestine.
c. “ For the first time, there seemed the real possibility that the
Jews might eventually outnumber Arabs” (Bickerton and
Klausner 50)
D. Arab Revolt (1936-1939)
1. Iz al-Din Al Qassam
a. Urges several of his followers to take up arms against the
British.
b. Followers protest the doubling of the Jewish Population.
c. First Stage: A general strike and low-level violence. (AprilOctober).
i.
Jewish agency calls actions a ‘state of terror’
ii.
5000 killed and 20,000 injured.
d. Second Stage: More intense battles fought by local Arab
forces against the British and the Jews.
2. Arab Higher Committee
a. Formed in April 1936.
b. Committee fought to end Jewish immigration into Palestine
as well as land purchases.
E. Peel Commission (1937)
1. The Royal Commission, which followed the Arab revolts earlier that
year stated that “ the desire of the Arabs for national independence and
their hatred and fear of the establishment of the Jewish National Home
were the underlying cause of the disturbances” (“ Royal Palestine”).
a. Arab and Jewish wishes can cannot be reconciled under the
current mandate therefore, the commission calls for a
partition of Palestine.
2. The international recognition of Jewish immigration and the hope to
establish a Jewish State in Palestine in their own homeland “ did not
involve the recognition of the right of the Jews to return to their old
homeland” ( “ Palestine Royal Commission”)
3. There was no common ground between the two groups.
a. “ their cultural and social life, their ways of thought and
conduct are as incompatible as their national aspirations”
(“Palestine Royal Commission”)
b. Jews and Arabs differed in their religion and language.
4. A National Home cannot be “ half national”
F. Woodhead Commission
1. A commission established to investigate if partition was a good idea,
if so what boundaries of the two states should be.
a. Decided that the Peel Commission was not workable, and they
would have to actually decide what to do with Palestine.
b. The Report concluded that the peel partition plan was not
feasible.
c. The Commission suggested that the boundaries “ enraged the
Jewish leaders, since many of the of the Jewish settlements and
developed areas were excluded from the proposed Jewish
entity” ( Bickerton and Klausner 53).
d. Arabs reject proposal, do not want see any part of Palestine in
hands of the Jews.
2. After the report, Britain decides not to implement the partition of
Palestine.
3. Britain continues to limit Jewish immigration and land purchases.
G. White Paper 1939
1. The paper declared that Palestine is to become an impendent state
allied to the British within ten years. The mandate will create its own
constitution and hold elections.
a. This will become a an Arab state- Jewish immigration is
Limited to 75,000 over the next five years.
b. Palestine was never intended to be a Jewish state.
2. The White Paper repudiated the Balfour Declaration and revised British
policy in Palestine.
2. Jewish immigration for the next five years will be limited to 10,000
per year with a one time exception for 25,000 because of issues
happening in Europe.
3. After 5 years all immigration must be approved by the Arab majority.
III.
Land Purchases 1919 - 1929
a. Land Registry
i. “In 1920, the British reopened the Land Registry, which had
been closed since 1918 because of the war and the
dissolution of the Ottoman Empire.” (Bickerton and Klausner
47)
ii. The Jews immediately bought land from British but mostly
from Arab landowners.
It was fairly easy for the Zionists to purchase land due to the
chaotic land registration system. Wealthy city merchants or
absentee landowners owned most of the land, not the Arab
peasants who owned the land.
b. National Fund
i. Through funds form organizations like the Jewish National
Fund, the Jews were able to purchase lots of land on behalf of
the immigrants.
ii. Some of the land the Arabs lost had been in their families for
centuries, passed down from generation to generation. The
Arabs were suspicious of the Jewish immigration and the
overall sentiment of the Arabs was negative.
c. Attack on Jewish settlements
i. In 1920 the Palestinian Arabs attacked Jewish settlements.
ii. The chief justice of Palestine headed an inquiry into the
attacks and said that the attacks were provoked by the
economic danger the Jews posed.
iii.
III.
Land Purchases 1930 – 1939
a. The Passfield White Paper
i. Recommended that government be sold only to landless
Arabs. The report caused outcry from Jews and Prime
Minster McDonald to release the statement, which essentially
nullified the report.
ii. “Peel commissions report issued in 1937, was significant in
that it proposed for the first time that the territory be
partitioned into separate Jewish and Arab states. It
recommended a small Jewish state of approximately 5,000
square kilometers and an Arab state that would be merged
with Transjordan under Emir Abdullah.” (B and K 51)
Conclusion:
The conflicts that arose as a result of the immigration and land issues in the
Palestine Mandate between 1919 and 1939 were detrimental to reconciliation
attempts between the Jewish and Arab communities. British commissions1
recognized the reasons behind the disturbances in the mandate between the two
groups2 .The official White Papers that evolved from the commissions
1
The British commissions resulted in the subsequent White Papers, which basically
means the British commissions BEEFED IT.
2
The world was collectively BLINDED BY RAGE.
concluded that Jewish immigration must be controlled, in order to prevent the
creation of a Jewish-dominated state in Palestine, which would be detrimental to
British foreign policy in the Middle East.
BEEFED IT.
[1]The British commissions resulted in the subsequent White Papers, which basically
means the British commissions BEEFED IT.
[2] The world was collectively BLINDED BY RAGE.