Palestine: A Modern History (ص 53)

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عنوان

Palestine: A Modern History (ص 53)

المحتوى

108 Deadlock: 1920-1923
discontent and disaffection amongst the Arab population of his district
was circulated to the Cabinet by Churchill. Symes rightly noted ‘that
economic conditions have a powerful influence-on politics and that the
former were most unsatisfactory in his district. The villagers were
responsive to incitements and anti-Government agitation from the
towns and the mass of the ‘non-Jewish’ population was thoroughly
disgruntled:
At Acre and Shefa Amr business is at a standstill. At Haifa nearly
all trades which are profitable to the Arabs show a decline. . .The
Customs barrier with Syria is evidently killing transit trade. . .the
non-Jewish shopkeeper is being ‘frozen out’ of the retail business.
Even porters and other casual labour are beginning to be affected by
the preference shown by Jewish firms and employers towards
immigrant’ labour. . .all classes of townspeople suffer from the high
cost of living. : Higher up in the social scale the merchants and the
effendi class are in a state.of mind bordering on deSpair; they find it
increasingly difficult to dive by the proceeds of trade or other
employment. . many. of ‘them are faced with the alternatives .of
bankruptcy or emigration. The case of the large landed proprietor is
little better; he is heavily in debt, and can obtain no more credit; the
price of cereals is low; foreign markets, for one reason or another,
are practically closed to him, he is even finding it difficult to dispose
at a fair price of lands he may have to sell. .
To the Arab dweller in a town, his disabilities and distress appear
to ‘be the: direct consequence of the present British policy: and its
corollary the Jewish immigration.
The bedouin, of course, will have either to become fellahin or
quit the country as it becomes fettled and populated .!°?
The. only, hope for the Administration, in Symes’s opinion, was to
show practical concern for the welfare of the fellahin which may enable
the Administration to prevent their ‘total alienation’ and ‘thus secure
the fulfillment of British policy in Palestine. British policy , Symes admit-
tedwas ‘anathema to the large majority — including the most enlightened
elements’. Even then, ‘only [by] a wonderful combination of firmness,
tact and good luck, can we hope to execute it by .pacific means’.
Jewish immigration and Jewish smuggling of arms brought forth a
general protest from the Muslim-Christian Societies in:the early months
of 1922. An additional cduse for Arab protest against the Administra-
tion’s policies was the loan it extended for the -construction of the
| Deadlock: 1920-1923 109
+
| Richon-Rehoboth Road. The exclusive employment on the road of
tp. :
Jewish immigrants — at higher wages than corresponding Arab labour
. — coupled with the fact that the road would mainly benefit Jewish
colonies were a source of bitter criticism and accusations of clear
discrimination in favour of the Zionists.
According to Deedes,,
iThe terms of the proposed Constitution have been very unfavour-
ably received by Moslems and Christians throughout the country.
The main points of their objection are the recognition in the Con-
stitution of the Balfour Declaration, the officidl and nominated
majority in the Legislative Council, the excessive centralisation of
power in the Hands df the High Commissioner and the exclusion of
the people of the country and ‘their representatives from, as is
alleged, any real power either administrative or legislative in matters
which profoundly affect the destinies of Palestine and its people.’
A more positive note was struck by the visit of Lord Northcliffe
| the powerful newspaper magnate, to Palestine which gave the
Palestinians an opportunity to gain a sympathiser with influence at the
tight place in London. Ina further effort to gain the sympathy of foreign
: visitors the Muslim-Christian Society were distributing copies of their
| propaganda publications in English. Samuel vie
d Arab public
relations and propaganda efforts as an‘alternative to the use of violence
and as a means of drawing attention to their cause. He informed
Churchill that
ee
The principal leaders in the country cooperate in this policy, and are
not slow to use their influence whenever‘necessary to prevent or
suppress disorder.!™
Absence of a.Revolutionary Organisation
The’ inclination to resort to disorder and violence, Samuel added, was
r Villages.
characteristic of the lower strata of the population in the towns and
105
During March, a feeling of nervousness throughout Palestine was
reported, and rumours of impending trouble were widely discussed. The
* growth of political consciousness in various districts, and in the
relatively inarticulate districts of Beersheba and Gaza in particular,
become more marked and
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هو جزء من

Palestine: A Modern History

تاريخ

1978

المنشئ

Abdul-Wahhab Kayyali

مجموعات العناصر

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