British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume I - Page 270

CHAPTER VIII.

the Land Transfers Committee. Sir Harold MacMichael stated in that despatch that on the whole he was "satisfied that the Regulations, which are under constant scrutiny, are working well and call for no immediate tightening".

108. Allegations of evasion continued to be made by Arabs and, in March, 1945, a general political agitation for a tightening up of the Regulations was begun. Allegations of infringements were frequently made by the Arab press and publicly by Arab political leaders. The agitation led to pillory of Arab land brokers, one of whom was murdered in the streets of Jaffa. The Gaza area was again the principal field for accusations. The Arab leaders contented themselves in the main with vague accusations of a general nature that Government was doing nothing to prevent the evasions and at times even went so far as to hint that Government was conniving at them; they failed to quote specific cases of circumvention of the Regulations.

109. On the 14th April, 1945, Field Marshal Lord Gort gave an interview to five Arab leaders headed by Ahmad Hilmi Pasha (the chairman of the Umma Fund, an organisation established a few years ago as an Arab counterpart of the Jewish National Fund, for the collection of money for the purchase of land). The Arab leaders protested against alleged evasion of the Regulations, described in general terms the methods employed and suggested certain remedies. The High Commissioner assured the delegation that their proposals would receive careful examination. Lord Gort was of opinion, however, that Government should not be rushed into amendment of the law without being satisfied that there were real abuses on a substantial scale. He therefore decided to appoint an investigatory committee to go thoroughly into the allegations made. A committee was appointed accordingly on 2nd June, 1945, under the chairmanship of Mr. R E. H. Crosbie, C.M.G., O.B.E., formerly a District Commissioner and now Chairman of the War Economic Advisory Committee. The committee contained only official members, of whom one was an Arab District Officer and another a Jewish District Officer. Their terms of reference were as follows :-

(i) To collate allegations made by members of the public in regard to transactions said to be in contravention of the Land Transfers Regulations, to investigate these transactions and to advise whether there have in fact been contraventions of the Regulations.

(ii) If there have in fact been contraventions, to report on the methods employed in contravention of the Regulations.

Page 270