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 100

100 rural land and the alleged failure of agricultural development to keep pace with the transfer of land to Jews. Government moreover, appears to be labouring under a misconception as to its duty under Article 6 of the Mandate in this regard. The Jewish Agency submits that the actual facts viewed fairly do not warrant any such change as has been proposed. 9. The proposal to restrict the sale of laud by small-holders is objectionable and contrary to the obligation of encouraging close settlement of Jews and of promoting intensive cultivation in general, imposed by Articles 6 and 11 of the Mandate, respectively, for the following reasons: (a) It would be an infringement of the right of the Jews to purchase land for development — in a manner unwarranted by existing cirumstances — and would artificially raise the price of land and encourage speculation. (b) It would seriously curtail rural credit facilities. (c) It would restrict the sale even of such land as is regarded by Government as uncultivable and therefore useless to its owner, when by selling it, the owner might improve his position. (d) It would tend to deprive the fellah of almost the only opportunity open to him to rid himself of his debts and raise his standard of living. (e) It would be a breach of the assurances on the subject contained in the Prime Minister's letter of February 13, 1931 to Dr. Weizmann. (f) It appears to be based on the erroneous assumption that the productivity of the land available for cultivation cannot be increased by improved agricultural methods. 10. Government has failed to arrange for exchanges of holdings for the purpose of consolidating areas cultivated by Jews and Arabs respectively with a view to facilitating the development of Jewish areas, in particular by the laying of irrigation systems. By way of illustration reference may be made to the difficulties encountered in using large tracts of land at Semakh and Yokneam because of the failure to effect such consolidation. In the last mentioned case which concerns tenants whose holdings it is proposed to concentrate in one block, no action was taken to use the powers conferred in this regard on the District Commissioner by the Protection of Cultivators' Ordinance. 11. Government has not carried out on a sufficiently large scale reclamation, drainage and anti-malarial works, with the result that Jewish public bodies and companies have had to expend