On Tuesday an Order in Council was published at Jerusalem
declaring the recent elections for the Legisla- tive Council null and void as the majority of the popula- tion—that is to say the Arabs—had boycotted the elections. The sanction for the creation of a Legislative Council has not, however, been cancelled. In the mean- time, an Advisory Council will be created, and the High Commissioner will consult it on matters relating to the government of the country. Palestine, in other words, has reverted to British rule. The Jews, of course, are disappointed, but the Arabs are rejoicing at the outcome of their passive resistance. The episode is an extra- ordinarily significant comment on the attempt to apply popular institutions in a country where the whole situation is prejudiced by the declared intention of creating " a national home " for the Jews, though the Jews are a tiny majority.
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