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 45

45 works at Haifa, but not a single Jew was employed on sea work at Jaffa. Twice during the period of these negotiations, in October 1935 and in February 1936, the Jaffa port was abruptly ciosed by Arab nationalist strikes. The second of these occurred at the height of the orange export season. The Political Representative of the Jewish Agency repeatedly drew the Government's attention to the danger of serious dislocation arising from the virtual Arab monopoly established at Jaffa Port. 58. The final reply of the Government was received on the 9th April, 1936, i.e. ten days before the Jaffa outbreak. The Jewish Agency was informed that some Jewish owned lighters for the Port of Jaffa might be licensed but as, in the opinion of the High Commissioner's advisers, this in itself would involve a risk of disturbance in the port, it was his decision that the introduction of Jewish labour on the lighters, which was likely to accentuate that risk, be postponed for at least a year, when the question might be reconsidered. As regards porterage and stevedoring in Jaffa Port, the Government would, for the same reasons, prefer that no Jews should be introduced into those services. With regard to Haifa, the Government offered some minor concessions which were of no practical consequence. Its decision in regard to the Port of Jaffa was tantamount to the formal establishment of a racial bar against Jewish labour in this State enterprise. Before, however, the Jewish Agency could join issue with the Government on this point, the disturbances broke out and the Arab strike at once brought the Jaffa port to a state of a complete standstill. 59. The danger against which the Jewish Agency had warned the Government had thus materialised. The Port of Haifa where a considerable number of Jews were at work, albeit in private and not in governmental works, continued to function, for the presence of Jewish labour and its ability to take over works abandoned by Arabs deterred the latter from joining in the strike and strengthened their resistance to the agitation conducted from outside. In Jaffa Port, however, there were no Jews. Its effective closing, in defiance of Government's authority, was the greatest score achieved by the Arab strike movement and went far to undermine Government's prestige and to strengthen the hands of the forces of disorder. Moreover, it deprived the whole south of Palestine, including the city of Tel Aviv with its agricultural hinterland, as well as the capital of the