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 136

136 (i) the problem of British public opinion in general, including Parliament and the Press, (ii) the possibility of a stoppage of immigration by the Government; (Iii) at a later date, in connection with the appointment of a Royal Commission, the possibility of a suspension of immigration during the Commission's enquiry. To take the question of public opinion first, the attitude of the British Press was at the outset almost uniformly friendly — at any rate so far as the principal papers were concerned. The view was expressed on all hands that there must be no giving way to violence in Palestine, and official statements to this effect met with very general approval. As time went on, however, two factors combined in some measure to alter this. In the first place, the mere prolongation of the disorders from week to week and from month to month, coupled with the wounding and occasional killing of British troops and police, tended to wear out public patience, and while certain organs urged strongly the need for a more effective handling of the situation by the Government, others began to talk in terms of concessions; and secondly, the anti- Zionist sentiment which has always existed in some circles, but which had hitherto remained latent, began to achieve some measure of organisation and articuiateness* this was particularly so after the arrival in June 1936 of an unofficial Arab delegation, whose object it was to conduct propaganda on behalf of the Arab claims. Nevertheless, it may be said that the most influential dailies remained firm in their support of the National Home Policy, and in their opposition to any step which might be deemed a concession to violence. Incidentally, despite the disturbances, the growth of interest in the economic development of Palestine was manifested by the publication of speeiaJ Palestine supplements by several leading British journals. Of these perhaps the most noteworthy was that of the "Manchester Guardian," which appeared in July, 1936. Contact was maintained throughout with various sections of the press, and in addition to personal interviews with press representatives, numerous letters and articles were written, and wherever possible, published mis-statements and attacks were suitably answered. Early in 1936 a committee of non-Jewish and Jewish friends of Palestine were responsible for the revival as a weekly publication of the journal "Palestine," which had originally appeared for some years during and shortly after the war. This well-written and carefully-documented publication performed and continues to perform a useful service in providing accurate information and informed criticism of current events in Palestine. Zionist addresses to non-Jewish audiences were also arranged