Report to the ... Zionist Congress and to the Council of the Jewish Agency in ... · 1935-08-01 · 8.1935 · p. Seite 473

discussions on the subject with the authorities and consultations with the Municipality of Tel-Aviv. 4. The Political Department continued to pay close attention to all matters affecting the security of the Jewish population. It maintained regular contact, by means of a special liaison officer, with the military and police authorities, in regard to security arrangements. The Department issued a comprehensive map of the Jewish settlements, which was accepted as a reference basis by the authorities. It was agreed that this map would henceforth be revised half yearly in co-operation with the Jewish Agency, so as to bring it up to date. Special care was taken to keep the changing personnel of the command of the Defence Forces regularly informed of the position and character of the Jewish settlements. With the assistance of the Political Department a telephone net was established in the new settlement area of Emek Hefer and environs with a centre at Nathanya. X.—Arab Relations. 1. The Arab Section of the Political Department was considerably enlarged in order to enable political and social developments among the Arab population of Palestine and in the neighbouring countries to be more systematically studied. The internal Arab press service of the Department was more fully developed. The Department started the publication of a monthly review, in Hebrew, of Middle Eastern politics, with special reference to points of Palestinian interest and to the position of Jewish communities in Arabic-speaking countries. This publication, of which four numbers have appeared so far, has been made available for a select circle of subscribers. Steps have been taken to disseminate regular information on current Palestinian events and particularly on the economic development of Palestine in the Oriental press, Arab and European. The practice was established of sending out corrections and denials of any mis-statements or distortions of facts which appeared in Arab newspapers in Palestine or abroad. The method has been eminently successful. Most such denials received wide publicity, and the communications issued by the Political Department of the Jewish Agency have become a familiar feature for readers of the Arab press. 2. The Department was active in establishing personal connections with leaders of Arab opinion in and outside of Palestine. The network of such personal relations grew considerably in the period under review. The contacts established proved valuable in enabling the Executive both to learn at first hand the currents of political thought prevailing in the Arab world, and to acquaint Arab leaders with the Zionist orientation regarding the future of Jewish-Arab relations in Palestine and the relations between Palestine and the neighbouring countries. Information of current developments continued to be received from the correspendents of 473