Report to the ... Zionist Congress and to the Council of the Jewish Agency in ... · 1935-08-01 · 8.1935 · p. Seite 461

of the requisite amount of rates, an amendment which at that time was urged by the Municipality of Tel-Aviv, but has of late formed the subject of a strong internal controversy owing to the attempt of the Municipal Electoral Committee to disqualify the sub-tenants. 4. After the enactment of the Ordinance the Executive of the Jewish Agency devoted its attention to the forthcoming municipal elections in the mixed cities. In particular, the problem of the Jerusalem Municipality and of Jewish representation on its Council was the subject of much concern and of extensive discussions with the Government. As previously recalled the Jerusalem Municipality had since 1930 been conducted without Jewish participation, the Jewish Councillors—who then numbered four out of a total of twelve—having resigned in protest against the persistent lack of fairness on the part of the Mayor in which the Government seemed to have acquiesced. In the light of this experience it was obviously impossible to expect the Jews of Jerusalem to resume their participation in the Municipality, unless they were assured of a fair share of representation and of a definite status on the Council which would enable them to take an active part in the direction of municipal affairs. Furthermore, the exclusion of foreign nationals from the body of voters and the retention of an old Turkish privilege whereby houseowners in the Old City (the majority of whom are Moslems) were entitled to vote even without having paid any rates were bound to weight the scales of the voters' register to the disadvantage of the Jews. In spite of those adverse considerations it was felt that the fact of the Jews being the majority among the inhabitants and the ratepayers of Jerusalem was of decisive importance and the plea was accordingly addressed to the High Commissioner by the representative of the Jewish Agency for the appointment of a Jewish Mayor of the City of Jerusalem. Subsequently, after the election had taken place and Jews and Arabs had been returned in equal numbers, that plea was formally submitted in a joint memorandum presented to the High Commissioner in December 1934 by the representatives of the Vaad Leumi, the Jewish Community of Jerusalem and the Agudath Israel. 5. To these representations the Government replied from the outset that as long as there was no Jewish majority on the Council, the appointment of a Jewish Mayor could not be considered. On' the other hand, the Government expressed the hope that as a result of the new election a sufficient number of Jewish councillors would be returned to ensure an effective Jewish co-operation in the management of the Municipality. When in February 1934 the Electoral Committee was appointed to consist of Moslems, Christians and Jews in equal numbers—i.e. in a proportion of two Arabs to one Jew—the local Jewish Community strongly hesitated whether to take part in the committee. It was finally decided to participate after the Jewish Agency had obtained assurances from the Government that 461