Political report of the Executive of the Jewish Agency submitted to the ... Zionist Congress and the ... session of the Council of the Jewish Agency · 1937-08-01 · 8.1937 · p. Seite 6

6 weather any storm, local or world-wide, which might sweep over Palestine. Accordingly, the newly elected Executive set itself the task of securing the adoption by the Mandatory Government of a policy of active assistance to the strengthening of the Jewish National Home and the acceleration of its growth. Discussions with this object in view were initiated both with the High Commissioner and the Colonial Office. In October 1935 an opportunity was afforded to the President of the Jewish Agency and two of the members of the Executive in charge of the political work to discuss issues of major policy with the Secretary of State for the Colonies and the High Commissioner in London. At this meeting, the claims of the Jewish Agency for greater facilities for Jewish immigration, for the provision of land and Government assistance to Jewish agricultural settlement and for a systematic promotion of industrial development were set forth in detail. In particular stress was laid on the need of opening up for planned Jewish settlement large areas hitherto undeveloped, in the south of Palestine and in other districts where Government's cooperation was essential. 3. It soon became apparent that the unrest in the East and wider political considerations led the Mandatory Government to adopt an opposite course to the one which the Jewish Agency had been urging. A tendency of conciliating the Arab leaders at the expense of the Jewish National Home was rapidly asserting itself. Intentions which might have been entertained in the past of restricting the pace and opportunities of Jewish progress were, under the influence of new developments, hardening into decisions. The Jewish Agency thus found itself engaged in a defensive struggle against proposed changes of policy which were all in a direction detrimental to Jewish interests in the three main spheres of immigration, land policy and constitutional development. The acute controversy which ensued on these three issues fully absorbed the attention of the Political Department throughout the winter and early spring of 1936. IMMIGRATION 4. While the last Congress and Council were in session at Lucerne, the imminence of a war in Abyssinia and the fears of its possible repercussions on the general situation in the Mediterranean