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 82

82 policy of increasing the number of Jewish employees in all these services, to the proportion of at least one-third of the total, so as to make the personnel of the services reflect in some measure the racial composition of the country's population. I would submit that the same rule be adopted with regard to the Police Force where the number of Jewish members, though lately increased, still lags considerably behind the proportion of Jews to the total population* I would recall, with regard to public works, the undertaking contained in the Prime Minister's letter of the 13th February, 1931, to the effect that in fixing the share of Jewish labour the contribution of the Jewish population to revenue shall be taken into consideration. This share, which in 1932 was estimated jointly by the Government and the Jewish Agency to be 37%, is now, according to the calculation of the Jewish Agency's experts, well over 50%. The present position whereby Jews are virtually excluded from some of the most vital public services, and are employed only to a very inadequate extent in others, is not one hi which the Jewish Agency or the Jewish population of Palestine can acquiesce. The Jewish Agency regards it as a matter of crucial importance for the future of the Jewish National Home and for the stability of the public services that Jews should be firmly established, to an extent corresponding to their numerical strength m the country, in all the public services which form so essential a part of the country's economic and administrative structure. 13. A similar disability to that under which the Jewish population as a Whole is placed in the matter of employment on public works and services characterises the position of the city of Tel Aviv in relation to the provision of administrative services. Although this city is nearly three times as large as the neighbouring town of Jaffa it remains in a state of dependence on the latter town. To this day there is not a single Government building in Tel Aviv. The only Government office there is the Post Office, still housed in most unsatisfactory hired premises and subordinate to the Central Post Office of Jaffa, although the volume of business at the latter office is much smaller. For any transaction in the District Offices, District Court, Land Registry, Execution Office, Revenue Office, Immigration Office, Licencing Offices, etc., the Jewish population of Tel Aviv and of the neighbouring Jewish colonies have to resort to Jaffa. I would submit that there is a most urgent need for the opening of such offices in Tel Aviv, and would express the confident hope that the long-standing grievance felt on this score may soon be redressed. I would call special attention to the need emancipating Tel Aviv from a state of complète dependence on Jaffa in regard to port facilities and would suggest that renewed consideration be given to the proposal put forward several years ago for the provision of landing and unloading faci^- iities for boats at Tel Aviy.