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 93

93 premium on violence. Any suspension of immigration as a preliminary to the investigations of the Royal Commission would, moreover, be considered by the Jews as a step calculated to prejudice the findings of the Commission and would, by giving a definite direction to its inquiries, destroy its character as an independent body approaching its task uninfluenced by any changes in the status quo. 6. The mission of the Iraqi Foreign Minister is not limited to the finding a way out of the present situation but, as has been pointed out, opens up a prospect of the interference of the Government of Iraq and possibly other Arab governments in the affairs of Palestine in the future. It is alleged that the Iraqi Foreign Minister has pledged the support of his Government to the Palestine Arabs for securing the fulfilment of all their national demands. Information received by the Jewish Agency would make it appear that the Government of Iraq is contemplating utilising the present difficult situation in Palestine in order to establish for itself a status entitling it permanently to interfere in the affairs of this country by bringing pressure to bear on the British Government in favour of the Palestine Arabs. The Jewish Agency would invite Government's attention to the comments of the local Arab press on the nature and significance of this mission. Thus "Ad-Difaa" of August 30th writes: "We are in a position to inform our readers that the basis of the present negotiations comprises an obligation by the Government of Iraq to use its good offices vis-a-vis the British Government in regard to the fulfilment of the demands of the Palestine Arabs and to continue this mediation until these demands have been met. Further an agreement is provided for with the Arab States and Amirates — the Yaman, Saudi Arabia and Transjordan—with regard to the recognition of the Palestine problem as one concerning them permanently. In other words, it is intended to give the Palestine problem the official character of a general problem which should be the concern not only of the Arabs of Palestine but of all Arabs." The same newspaper of the same date also made the following statement: "Nuri Pasha Said will return to Palestine (from his journey to Turkey) to continue his efforts on behalf of the Governments of Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the Yaman. He will present a letter signed by these three Governments and by some of the Arab principalities. Thereby, the Palestine question will pass into a stage to which the Arabs aspire, that is, it will become a general problem and a concern of all Arabs. The Mandate will no longer be an impediment as it will cease to exist, for it is cotradictory to this action and antagonistic to Arab aspirations in general." Arab newspapers generally hail the mission of the Iraqi Foreign Minister as "a big stride towards the cementing of Arab Unity and the making of Palestine an integral part of the system of Arab countries" ("Fa-