British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume I - Page 38

CHAPTER II.

factors which emerged, (a) the support given to it by the Arab officials, and (b) the participation of neighbouring Arab countries both in the provision of arms and volunteers and by the intervention of their Governments. The events of HJ36 aroused for the first time in the Arab world not merely sympathy with the Palestinian Arab but strong feelings of antipathy towards Zionism.

The Royal Commission found that the underlying causes of the disturbances were the desire of the Arabs for national independence and their hatred and fear of the establishment of the Jewish national home, and that the subsidiary factors were as follows:-

(1) The effect on Arab opinion in Palestine of the attainment of national independence in other Arab countries.

(2) The pressure on Palestine exerted by Jews throughout the world on account of the sufferings and anxieties of the Jews in Central and Eastern Europe since 1933.

(3) The inequality of opportunity enjoyed by Arabs and Jews respectively in putting their case before His Majesty's Government and public opinion in Great Britain; and the Arab belief that the Jews can always get their way by means denied to the Arabs.

(4) The growth of Arab distrust in His Majesty's Government's ability and will to carry out promises.

(5) Arab alarm at the continued purchase of Arab land by Jews. (6) The intensive character of Jewish nationalism in Palestine; the "modernism" of many of the younger immigrants; the provocative language used by irresponsible Jews; and the intemperate tone of much of the Jewish as well as the Arab press.

(7) The general uncertainty, accentuated by the ambiguity of certain phrases in the Mandate, as to the ultimate intentions of the Mandatory Power.

The official list of casualties during the six months of disturbances gave the following figures

Defence Forces Police and T.J.F.F. Arabs

Jews

Non-Arab Christians

Total

Killed 21 re 195 80 2

314

Wounded

104 102 804 308

19

1,337

These are the numbers based on verified deaths and treatment in hospitals, It has been estimated that upward of 1.000 Arab rebels were killed, mostly in fighting with troops and police.

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