British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume I - Page 100. Annexure III: Statement made in the House of Commons on 13th November, 1945 By Mr. Ernest Bevin, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Continued)

CHAPTER II.

been one of continued friction between the two races, culminating at intervals in serious disturbances.

The fact has to be faced that since the introduction of the Mandate it has been impossible to find common grounds between the Arabs and the Jews. The difference, in religion and in language, in cultural and social life, in ways of thought and conduct, are difficult to reconcile. On the other hand, both communities lay claim to Palestine, one on the ground of a millinium of occupation, and the other on the ground of historic association coupled with the undertaking given in the first world war to establish a Jewish home. The task that has to be accomplished now is to find means to reconcile these divergences.

The repercussions of the conflict have spread far beyond the small land in which it has arisen. The Zionist cause has strong supporters in the United States, in Great Britain, in the Dominions and elsewhere civilization has been appalled by the sufferings which have been inflicted in recent years on the persecuted Jews of Europe. On the other side of the picture, the cause of the Palestinian Arabs has been espoused by the whole Arab world and more lately has become a. matter of keen interest to their 90,000,000 co-religionists in India. In Palestine itself there is always the serious risk of disturbances on the part of one community or the other, and such disturbances are bound to find their reflection in a much wider field. Considerations not only of equity and of humanity, but also of international amity and world peace, are thus involved in any search for a solution.

In dealing with Palestine all parties have entered into commitments. There are the commitments imposed by the Mandate itself, and, in addition, the various statements of policy which have been made by His Majesty's Government in the course of the last 25 years. Further, the United States Government themselves have undertaken that no decision should be taken in respect of what, in their opinion, affects the basic situation in Palestine, without fu11 consultation with both Arabs and Jews.

Having regard to the whole situation and the fact that it has caused this world-wide interest which affects both Arabs and Jews, His Majesty's Government decided to invite the Government of the United States to co-operate with them in setting up a joint Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry, under a rotating chairmanship, to examine the question of European Jewry and to make a further review of the Palestine problem in the light of that examination. I am happy to be able to inform the House that the Government of the United States have accepted this invitation.

The terms of reference that have been agreed between the United States Government and His Majesty's Government are as follows:-

(1) To examine the political, economic and social conditions of Palestine as they bear upon the problem of Jewish immigration and settlement therein, and the well being of the peoples now living therein.

(2) To examine the position of the Jews in those countries in Europe where they have been the victims of Nazi and Fascist persecution and the practical measures taken or contemplated to be taken in those countries, to enable them to live free from discrimination and oppression and to make estimates of those who wish, or will be impelled by their conditions to migrate to Palestine, or other countries outside Europe.

Page 100