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 10

10 persons as permanent residents. Early in 1936 Government authorised the allocation of a very limited number of certificates from each schedule for the purpose of legalising illicit settlers who deserved special consideration by reason of the acute hardship of their personal condition. The Executive had to point out that this limited facility provided no solution for the problem and continued to press for wholesale registration. Government's final reply in the matter has been that the issue would have to be deferred for reexamination in the light of the Royal Commission's Report. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. 10. The major issue which dominated the political situation in the winter of 1935-36 was the proposed establishment of a Legislative Council in Palestine. Strenuous efforts had been made by the Executive in the period immediately preceding the 19th Con- gress to dissuade Government from proceeding with this constitutional reform, which was regarded as a most serious menace to the future of the Jewish work in Palestine, or at least to secure its postponement. In fact, the announcement of the scheme appeared to have been repeatedly put off owing to a variety of circumstances, but the issue finally came to a head early in December 1935 when the Executive was informed by the High Commissioner that he intended shortly to initiate official discussions on the proposed Legislative Council scheme with the representatives of both the Jews and the Arabs. On December 19th the High Commissioner invited the Jewish representatives to attend a meeting to be held at Government Offices on the 22nd for the discussion of the proposals relating to the establishment of a Legislative Council m Palestine. The invitation was addressed to the President and Executive of the Jewish Agency who were also asked to invite to the meeting representatives of the Vaad Leumi and the Agudath Israel. Those present were Dr. Weizmann, Mr. Ben Gurion and Mr. Shertok for the Jewish Agency, Mr. Ben Zvi and Mr. Elmaleh for the Vaad Leumi and Rabbi Blau for the Agudath Israel. It appeared that on the preceding day the High Commissioner had received a delegation of Arab leaders to whom the same communication had been made as that conveyed to the Jewish representatives. 11.. The statement which the High Commissioner read out to