SIR,—We the undersigned non-official British residents of long standing in

Palestine wish to emphasise certain points, an

understanding of which we feel is essential to a just solution of the present problems.

1. The failure of Government to take into account Arab opposition to its policy in Palestine during the last zo years has led many Arabs to believe that the only way in which they can call attention to their grievances is by the use of violence. Many of them deplore such methods, yet we believe the vast majority of the Arab population, both Moslem and Christian, is in wholehearted sympathy with the national rebellion.

The injustices inflicted on many innocent persons through the imposition of collective fines, demolition of houses and arrests, have further embittered them and strengthened their unity. Consequently the Arab population as a whole is dominated by, and at the mercy of, the orders of the rebel leaders. Unwillingness to conform to such orders has, in many cases, resulted in a distressing loss of life.

2. The Arabs' continued friendship towards individual Britishers uninterrupted during the strife of the .past two years, despite their repeated disappointments over Govern- ment's policy, offers hope that there is still a basis of mutual goodwill upon which confidence in H.M. Government can be rebuilt.

3. Now that the Arabs are genuinely dominated by the fear of eventual Jewish control of the country, it is essential for H.M. Government to give some definite assurance that in no circumstance would they permit the percentage of Jews in the country to exceed 40 per cent, of the total population, as was suggested by Viscount Samuel in :the House of Lords on July 20th, 1938. This is not far from the proportion suggested by Arabs on numerous occasions. The Arabs feel that in agreeing to accept some such figure they would be taking more than their share towards solving the problem of world Jewry.

4. Peace by negotiation is in every way better than an imposed solution. Any effort to browbeat the Arabs into submission before negotiations are undertaken will but further

embitter Arab feeling and make the task more .difficult in the end. Negotiations, however, in our opinion, cannot begin until some way is found out of the impasse created by the deportation, exile or flight from Palestine of the recognised

leaders of Arab opinion and the imprisonment of many other leading persons. The declaration of some sort of amnesty' would, we believe, immediately relieve the present tension and create the atmosphere essential to the finding of a solution equitable to all concerned.

5. Finally we would call attention to the statistics of casualties from July ist to October 31st of this year which, as published in the Palestine Post of November ist, 1938, amount to no fewer than the appalling total of 2.461, made up

as follows : Arabs killed 1,089—wounded 504

Jews „ 219— 454 British „ 42— ,, 138 Others „ 9— 32 .6 1,359 1,102

To this must be added the immense loss of property which has taken place in the country.—Yours faithfully,

A. I. MACRAE, General Secretary, Y:W.C.A., 1922- 1926 ; J. F. THORNTON DlUESBURY, Head-

master of St. George's School, Jerusalem ;

HARRY F. KEY, Civil Engineer, 1917-1938; M. C. WARBURTON Joint Secretary Diocesan Board of Education ; CHARto-rrE alls, Bishop Gobat School, 1894-1925; JANET W. MAC- INNES (widow of the late Bishop R. MacInnes), Secretary, Church Missionary Society ; RICHARD HUGHES, Ex-Government Lind Valuer and Arbitrator ; KENNETH L. REY- NOLDS, Headmaster, St. George's School, Jerusalem, 1904-1929; WINIFRED A. COATE, Principal, Jerusalem Girls' College ; ERIC F. F. BISHOP, Principal, Newman School of Missions. Jerusalem, November 2nd, 1938.