Jewish proposal for Jewish Homeland, 1919

From the Proposals Presented by the Zionist Organisation to the Paris Peace Conference, 1919

1 - The High Contracting Parties recognise the historic title of the Jewish people to Palestine and the right of the Jews to reconstitute in Palestine their National Home.

2. The boundaries of Palestine shall be as declared in the Schedule annexed hereto.

3. The sovereign possession of Palestine shall he vested in the League of Nations and the Government entrusted to Great Britain as Mandatory of the League.

4. (Provision to be inserted relating to the application in Palestine of such of the general conditions attached to mandates as are suitable to the case.)

5. The mandate shall be subject also to the following special conditions:-

(I.) Palestine shall be placed under such political, administrative and economic conditions as will secure the establishment there of the Jewish National Home, and ultimately render possible the creation of an autonomous Commonwealth, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country.

(II.) To this end the Mandatory Power shall inter alia:

(a) promote Jewish immigration and close settlement on the land, the established rights of the present non-Jewish population being equitably safeguarded.

(b) Accept the co-operation in such measures of a Council representative of the Jews in Palestine and of the world that may be established for the development of the Jewish National Home in Palestine and entrust the organisation of Jewish education to such Council.

(c) On being satisfied that the constitution of such Council precludes the making of private profit, offer to the Council in priority any concession for public works or for the development of natural resources which it may be found desirable to grant.

(III.) The Mandatory Power shall encourage the widest measure of self-government for localities practicable in the conditions of the country.

(IV.) There shall be for ever the fullest freedom of religious worship for all creeds in Palestine. There shall be no discrimination among the inhabitants with regard to citizenship and civil rights, on the grounds of religion, or of race.

(V.) (Provision to be inserted relating to the control of the Holy Places.)

The Boundaries of Palestine.

The boundaries of Palestine shall follow the general lines set out below:-

Starting on the North at a point on the Mediterranean Sea in the vicinity south of Sidon and following the watersheds of the foothills of the Lebanon as far as JISR EL KARAON, thence to EL BIRE, following the dividing line between the two basins of the WADI EL KORN and the WADI ET TEIM, thence in a southerly direction following the dividing line between the Eastern and Western slopes of the HERMON, to the vicinity west of BEIT JENN, thence eastward following the northern watersheds of the NAHR MUGHANIYE close to and west of the Hedjaz Railway.

In the east a line close to and west of Hedjaz Railway terminating in the Gulf of Akaba.

In the south a frontier to be agreed upon with the Egyptian Government.

In the west the Mediterranean Sea.

The details of the delimitation's, or any necessary adjustments of detail, shall be settled by a Special Commission on which there shall be Jewish representation.
 

Great Britain as Mandatory of the League of Nations.

The preference on the part of the Jews for a British Trusteeship is unquestionably the result of the peculiar relationship of England to the Jewish Palestinian problem. The return of the Jews to Zion has not only been a remarkable feature in English literature, but in the domain of statecraft it has played its part, beginning with the readmission of the Jews under Cromwell. It manifested itself particularly in the nineteenth century in the instructions given to British Consular representatives in the Orient after the Damascus incident; in the various Jewish Palestinian projects suggested by English non-Jews prior to 1881; in the letters of endorsement and support given by members of the Royal Family and Officers of the Government to Lawrence Oliphant; and, finally, in the three consecutive acts which definitely associated Great Britain with Zionism in the minds of the Jews, viz.: the El Arish offer in 1901; the East African offer in 1903, and, lastly, the British Declaration in favour of a Jewish National Home in Palestine in 1917. Moreover, the Jews who have gained political experience in many lands under a great variety of governmental systems, whole-heartedly appreciate the advanced and liberal policies adopted by Great Britain in her modern colonial administration.

It may be stated without doubt that all of these things account for the attitude taken by the Jews with reference to the Trusteeship, as evidenced by the following:-

On December 16th, 1918, the American Jewish Congress composed of delegates representing 3,000,000 American Jews adopted the following resolution:

"The American Jewish Congress instruct their delegation to Europe to co-operate with representatives of other Jewish Organisations and specifically with the World Zionist Organisation, to the end that the Peace Conference may recognise the aspirations and historic claims of the Jewish people with regard to Palestine, and declare that, in accordance with the British Government's Declaration of November 2nd, 1917, endorsed by the Allied Governments and the President of the United States, there shall be established such political administrative and economic conditions in Palestine, as will assure under the trusteeship of Great Britain, acting on behalf of such League of Nations as may be formed, the development of Palestine into a Jewish Commonwealth; it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which shall prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in other countries."

Similar action was taken in Jaffa in the month of December, 1918, by a conference of representatives of the Jewish population in Palestine, and on January 4th, 1919, by Jewish Congresses representing about two million Jews of the reconstituted States of Austria-Hungary and of Poland.
 

Boundaries.

The economic life of Palestine, like that of every other semi-arid country, depends on the available water supply. It is, therefore, of vital importance not only to secure all water resources already feeding the country, but also to be able to conserve and control them at their sources. "

The Hermon is Palestine's real "Father of Waters," and cannot be severed from it without striking at the very root of its economic life. The Hermon not only needs re-afforestation but also other works before it can again adequately serve the water reservoir of the country. It must therefore, be wholly under the control of those who will most willingly as well as most adequately restore it its maximum utility. Some international arrangement must be made whereby the riparian rights of the people dwelling south of the Litani River may be fully protected. Properly cared for, these headwaters can be made to serve in the development of the Lebanon as well as of Palestine.

The fertile plains east of the jordan, since the earliest Biblical times, have been linked economically and politically with the land west of the Jordan. The country which is now very sparsely populated, in Roman times supported a great population. It could now serve admirably for colonisation on a large scale. A just regard for the economic needs of Palestine and Arabia demands that free access to the Hedjaz Railway throughout its length be accorded both Governments.

An intensive development of the agriculture and other opportunities of Trans-Jordania make it imperative that Palestine shall have access to the Red Sea and an opportunity of developing good harbours on the Gulf of Akaba. Akaba, it will be recalled, was the terminus of an important trade route of Palestine from the days of Solomon onwards. The ports developed in the Gulf of Akaba should be free ports through which the commerce of the Hinterland may pass--on the same principle which guides us in suggesting that free access be given to the Hedjaz Railway.
 

Conclusion.

All of which is respectfully submitted.
ROTHSCHILD (LORD WALTER ROTHSCHILD).
On behalf of the Zionist Organisation,
NAHUM SOKOLOW.
CHAIM WEIZMANN.
On behalf of Zionist Organisation of America,
JULIAN W. MACK.
STEPHEN S. WISE.
HARRY FRIEDENWALD.
JACOB DE HAAS.
MARY FELS.
LOUIS ROBISON.
BERNARD FLEXNER.
On behalf of the Russian Zionist Organisation,
ISRAEL ROSOFF.
On behalf of the Jewish Population of Palestine in accordance with Mandate received,
NAHUM SOKOLOW.
CHAIM WEIZMANN.

Source: "Battleground: Fact & Fantasy in Palestine" by Samuel Katz, 
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