New-York tribune., 1920-12-05
World
May Ruin Plan
For u Palcstine
Arabs Resent Influx of
Jews and Believe Their
Economic Life and Faith
Are Threatened Thereby
Christians as Allies
They, Too, Like Tribesmen,
Oppose British Policy
and the Zion Project

10 converting protests INTO q jewish
country is analyzed by the Palestine
Post in series of articles dealing
with problems Of the Holy Land under
British administration.
"As one legacy Of the great war we
have an account to settle with the
Arab race, an account in which we are
greatly the debtor The account must
be settled one day-either in good
faith and amity on our side or with
reputation backed by military ef-
fort sufficient to beat down the resist
ancc of the word Of Islam. And the
hard core Of the settlement VIII be
found in Palestine Elsewhere the
Arab thinks that he has 4 grievance.
In Palestine he feels that he suffers a
wrong, which attacks not merely his
political reedom, but his economic life
and his religious faith.
Comforting assurances come now
and again from Palestine that the
Arabs there-who form the vast ma
Jority of the population-have settled
down or are settling down quietly
to situation into which they read the
resolve Of the British power TO drive
them out Of their homeland and away
iron dearly treasured shrines.
Those assurances have their source
A' oi ~ lolIy. however just
ard wise the British administration
nay be-ani its record for justice and
wisdom so far is good one-if ii were
an administration of angels it could
not conclilate people Nho see III Il lh,.
agent of cruel eviction and of dark
sacriiege.
Arabs Are Resolutc
"Of this fact am most firmly CON
Vlnccd a1ter seeing people Of al classes
and OF all religious. Indeed in the
Palestine Of to-day it Is the one all
important fact. The Arabs OF the coun-
thy, VINO N number reach TO some
oVV,oV0, as compared with $1,000 Jews,
are bitterly ana reaolutely opposed to
the policy Of making their country
Aatlonal nome for the Jews. THIS op-
position Is at the moment covert. M.Alle
the Arabs haVc had their illusions
shaken as to tnc Jusuice ot Lng.a41,
trey still believe in the might Of Eng
land and are cowed by il.
Their own power of resistance is
slender. They are not yet luiIy IN
touch with their beuouln brethren in
the surrounding desert (wno have no.
1e't The threat OF expulsion OIrec,cu
against I! enselves), nor with the
-'1oslem void generally. But tAelr op-
position to the policy ot making pales-
( .. . H.
as they think toe consequent eviction
ol the ArlO popu alton and the conse-
Qucnt do'n nation OF Christian and
MOsIem SHINES by the Hebrews, is
resolutc to the point of desperation,
though it nay be masked for the
lAomcnt.
The Palestine people are disposed
yet to try tine Weapons of sppea4 and
argument. LlnaDy disappointed in
those they VIII tly otner means. The
religious neads OF Islam WIN SPEAK IN
The Moslem Arabs, who feel their
homes as We'll as tneir shrlnes threat
ened, wli respond to . cal which nAs
thus double appeal
The Christian Arabs VIII sympathize
almost to d man, for they tnlnA tneir
homes and their shrines also threat
ened, and arc but Ntt.e less earnest
than the Moslcln Arabs. Inelr home
land, their Church OF the hoy oep4l-
cnre--lt is TO the defense Of these they
viii feel they are called.
he peopie ol IA4estIne thus united
IN protest would maze a powerful up-
peal 10 our sense OF justice or Of
mercy. But the power ol any appeal
shey could make to our prudence wOu4d
be s4lgnt II tne opposition they cUu4d
resources, Tor tnAt would be easily
crushed.
But behind them, waiting to be
evoked, Is The giant power oI the Mos
iem world, The cry OF The Arabs of
iii4cstlne that their homes ana their
Molly places are to be taken from them
mlght evoke pity without dread. But
IL the appeal goes Out from the Arabs
OF ialest4ne to the Moslem world at
large that the LngNsh are violating the
religion of Islam, what then? And that
IS the actual, imminent danger of the
situation.
Old Hopes Revived
During the great war, willing to ac-
cept their help against the Turks wa
dld much to revive old homes and
ues res. indeed, we did far too much
III mat dlrectlon, not with an evil or
ialse intent 50 much as with blunder-
,:s employment Of too impetuous, too
i'ttie experienced agents.
The Arab is the most char,nin,v of
acquaintances; there is boid eon
erous side 70 his nature, which has y
neaoy appeal One needs to be cool
ana equable In character not to bn
carried away by enthusiasm bcyond
4lscretlon in negotiating with HIM
DuIlng the great war our agents prom
sea 70 the Arab far more than il was
~ our power TO give Since the nrnis-
lce we have made far too little honest
chOrt TO carry out what was nrac-
0icapIc IN our promises; and the mean
ness OF our performance anpcars in a
worse light because OF the nasujficenc@
OF our promises.
But III Palestine the Arab foole
max 1t is not only matter of fai'ins
20 90 the good that we promised; if is
a matter also Of maliciouslv attackinn
ms liberties, his possessions. and h,s
"elleiS. The gifts we promised hav.
nov come. That might be tolerated
bu. in addition we threaten him wi,h
definite evils. ''-'
Onder the Turk the Palestine Arah
rad certain amount Of political frcc-
uom' more were representative bodies
including the Chamber of Denntics of
lne Empire, 70 which he elected his
delegates. All these have been swent
away. The Arabs OF Palestine have
'ost all direct voice in their own rov-
ernment As consequence Of III.
war, which was to make the world
saic Tor democracy they have lost
INC beElnnlngs Of democratic s s.sten
men the Turk had set up.
urther, they have lost almost com
o.ieteiy their share in the ndiniuistra-
-lve work OF the country The official
POSTS were reasonably accessible -
-hcm under the Turkish regime. Now
.ney feel there Is preference. first for
ne jewish official, then for the English