16 March , 1922 Covenant of the League of Nations

16 March , 1922

(b) The object aimed at by Article 22 of the Covenant of the League of nations is “ the well-being and development of the people” of the land. Alien Jews not in Palestine do not come within the scope of this aim. Neither is their association with Palestine more cloe than that of Christians and Moslems all over the world. Consequently the Jewish National Home policy is contrary to the spirit of the Covenant.

For the fulfillment of this policy it is necessary that the Jewish community in Palestine should be able to increase its numbers by immigration. This immigration cannot be so great in volume as to exceed whatever may be the economic capacity of the country at the time to absorb new arrivals. It is essential to ensure that the immigrants should not be a burden upon the people of Palestine as a whole, and that they should not deprive any section of the present population of their employment. Hitherto the immigration has fulfilled these conditions. The number of immigrants since the British occupation has been about 25,000.

We have shown over and over again that the supposed historic connection of the Jews with Palestine rests upon very slender historic data. The historic rights of the Arabs are far stronger than those of the Jews. Palestine had a native population before the Jews even went there, and this population has persisted all down the ages and never assimilated with the Jewish tribes, who were always people to themselves. The Arabs, on the other hand, have been settled on the land for more than 1,500 years, and are the present owner of the soil.

We here ask, “What policy?” and why? The Jewish Community in Palestine is doing well, and does not depend for its existence on immigrants. The Memorandum continues, however. “This immigration cannot be so great in volume as to exceed whatever may be the economic capacity of the country at the time to absorb new arrivals. It is essential to ensure that the immigrants should not be a burden. It is essential to ensure that the immigrants should not be a burden upon the people of Palestine as a whole, and that they should not deprive any section of the present population of their employment. Hitherto the immigration has fulfilled these conditions. The number of immigrants since the British occupation has been about 25,000.”

Source: Palestine Correspondence with the Palestine Arab Delegation and the Zionist Organization. Presented to Parliament by Command of His Majesty. June, 1922.