Evening star., 1948-05-31
Palestine and Ireland


The independence of Israel has been likened
by some to the independence of Ireland. Such
a comparison is not accurate, but comparison
to Irish partition would be appropriate
When we think of state, we think of every
body within its borders as being an integral
part of it and that the political entity exists
primarily for all their interests and for none
outside The partition of Palestine, like the
partition of Ireland, recognizes a different prin-
ciple entirely.
asked a spokesman of the Jewish Agency
for Palestine why it was that the Zionists were
unwilling to accept minority position in
united Palestine. He answered that the needs
of the Arabs and the Jews were entirely differ
ent: that is, the zionists wanted unlimited i'm
migration, while the Arabs didn't. Yet he also
said that Israel wanted an economic union with
the rest of Palestine.
This particular problem seems unique; yet
1t has had precedent in the Irish partition.
For in ireland, too, there were these two
forces. One was Irish natonalism, which in
cluded the whole of Ireland and its inhabitants
On theory and the other was the leftover
from ascendancy rule in ireland, those who
had a minority interest only.
When Gladstone was about to introduce the
home rule bill in 1886, Randolph Churchill saw
a good opportunity to defeat Gladstone by de-
feating home rule. This he did by going over
to Belfast where he stirred up Ulster to such an
extent that there were prolonged riots, free use
of firearms by police and combatants, killing OF
men and women and sacking OF houses. The
Orange card was indeed the card that was
played and home rule was defeated, ousting
Gladstone and the Liberals from government
leadership.
The Liberal Party again was in power during
1912 and 1t again proposed home rule. The
same tactics were again used by the Orange
Tories, and the result was that Catholic work
men were assaulted, kicked, beaten, and home
rule was put oil.
But the will of the Irish nation was asserted
and finally had to be granted even though
the Tories didn't want it. Under the Govern
ment of Ireland Act, 1920, Ireland was divided
into two parts: Northern Ireland (sx OF the
nine counties of Ulster) and the Irish Free
State, now known as Fire Munster, Leinster,
Connscht and three of the nine counties OF
Ulster).
And 1t is interesting to note that the partition
of Ireland has caused strife, not peace. Through
the Orange Lodges and other devious ways, the
government leaders keep the Protestant major
ity in Northern Ireland behind them by as
sociating religion with natlonallty.
No need to mention that there is bitterness,
and even If there weren't, 1t would still be
sore spot between England and Ireland
The reason for separate entity for Northern
Ireland is the same as that which partitions
Palestine; an interest which doesn't correspond
to the nation primarily
BY partitioning Palestine and recognizing the
State of Israel, we have regarded the interests
olo pfv Ia
who live there.
Not only is this direct insult to the vast ma
jority of loyal American Jews who regard
America as their political homeland, but we
have invited certain bloodshed and a possible
World War III. All these troubles could have
been foretold by studying Irish partition.
CORTLANDT HERBST.
DonSer of Pure Democracy