17 MARCH 1939, Page 2

The Palestine Proposals The Government held its last informal discussions

with the Arab and Jewish representatives on Tuesday, before pre- senting the Government proposals which are to be accepted as a basis of discussion. If discussion or agreement is not possible, the Government's proposed plan will be imposed. Its main outlines are thought to provide for a five-year period, in which Jewish immigration will be limited to a figure averaging about 15,000 per annum, and Palestine will be under an Advisory Council, which will include four Arabs and two Jews. Further possibilities will clearly depend on the degree to which Arabs and Jews succeed in co-operating during the interim period. In a mem- orandum presented to the Government last week the Jews have made it clear, first, that their agreement to any plan will depend on whether it contains safeguards for the National Home and its development, and, secondly, that on no condition can they agree to Arab domination in an auton- omous Palestine. For the good of all peoples concerned in the Palestine problem, it is to be hoped that the Jews will find it possible to reconcile this attitude with acceptance of the British plan ; but the present indications suggest that they will not.

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