British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: The Royal Commission, the Partition Commission, and the White Paper of May, 1939. Volume I - Page 40

CHAPTER II.

and led to a well observed Arab boycott of the Coronation celebrations.

3rd July, 1937.

The National Defence Party withdrew from the Arab Higher Committee.

7th July, 1937.

The report of the Royal Commission (dated 22nd June) was published *. Its main recommendation were the termination of the Mandate, the partition of the country between the Arabs and the Jews, save only for enclaves under Mandate covering Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Nazareth and ensuring access to these Holy Places for all the world, and the setting up of two independent States in treaty relations with Great Britain. Under their tentative plan of partition the Jewish State was to comprise the whole of the present Districts of Haifa and Galilee and the whole of the Maritime Plain from Isdud (thirty kilometers south of Jaffa) northwards, with the exception of a corridor of approach to Jerusalem, which would include the Arab towns of Jaffa, Lydda and Ramle, to remain under Mandate.

Simultaneously, a Statement of Policy ** was issued bv His Majesty's Government expressing general agreement with the arguments and conclusions of the Commission and stating that "they are driven to the conclusion that there is an irreconcilable conflict between the aspirations of the Arabs and the Jews in Palestine, that these aspirations cannot be satisfied under the terms of the present Mandate, and that a scheme of partition on the general lines recommended by the Commission represents the best and most hopeful solution of the deadlock". The Statement went on to say that His Majesty's Government therefore proposed to take steps, having regard to their treaty obligations under the Covenant of the League of Nations and other international instruments, to obtain freedom to give effect to a scheme of partition. As an interim measure, steps would be taken to prohibit any land transactions which might prejudice such a scheme, and a total Jewish immigration of 8,000 would be permitted for the eight months August, 1937, to March, 1938, provided the economic absorptive capacity was not exceeded.

20th July, 1937.

The House of Commons debated the Statement of Policy and resolved that the proposals contained therein *should be brought
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* Cmd. 5479.
** Cmd 5513.

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