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 46

46 country with its large Jewish population, of a direct access to the sea. The prospect of bringing the Jewish population down to its knees through such a "blockade" was as strong an incentive to the organisers of the Jaffa port strike as their hope thereby to force the hands of the Government. 60. For both these reasons — the defeat of the strike at its most important stronghold and the liberation of Tel Aviv from its helpless dependence on Jaffa as regards sea transport — it became imperative to secure immediately permission for landing goods from ships direct to the foreshore of Tel Aviv. The request for such permission was put forward for the first time in a letter addressed by the President of the Jewish Agency to the High Commissioner on April 21st in which at the same time the forcible opening of the port of Jaffa was urged. In subsequent letters and interviews the Government was reminded of the long-standing claim of Tel Aviv to have its own sea jetty. The Jewish Agency urged the grant of immediate authority for the off-loading of goods on the foreshore of Tel Aviv and for the subsequent construction of a proper jetty. There was considerable delay before the Government reached a decision. On the 13th of May the Political Representative of the Jewish Agency wrote to the Government in the following terms : "The suggestion is that authority be given for the off-loading of some suitable cargoes on the shore of Tel Aviv. There are Jewish boats and lightermen available for the purpose. This is not a measure calling for any use of force. It appears to me that there can be no justifiable objection to such a course, as the city of Tel Aviv cannot possibly be expected to wait until the lightermen of Jaffa bethink themselves of resuming work, or import all its goods in a round-about way through Haifa... Government's refusal to take immediate action in the matter will inevitably strengthen the impression, widespread among both Jews and Arabs, that Government is not interested in hastening the end of the strike. From such an impression to the pernicious thought that the strike serves some useful purpose for the Government is but one step, and it is my painful duty to state that I find many people taking this step without hesitation. . . ." 61. Meanwhile the demand for the opening of an independent port in Tel Aviv was keenly taken up in the Jewish city. It was voiced unanimously by the Municipality, the Chamber of Commerce, the General Federation of Jewish Labour and other institutions, and was strongly canvassed in the Jewish press. The Executive took steps,