Sm,—As a description of regrettable facts "Airborne Officer's" article may
be quite accurate, but if his intention was to give an explanation justifying these facts he fallen completely; He hardly takes into account the other side's viewpoint. The average British soldier is a friendly fellow with little desire to suppress anybody, but he cannot expect his reception abroad to be solely based on his personal qualities, completely unrelated to the purpose of his mission. If therefore he arrived in Palestine in the vague belief that he came to suppress another Arab rising, no one else is to be blamed,,,or the misconception. It needed no malicious propaganda, but only a correct assessment of facts, to guess the real reasons for arrival. The Arabs were not likely to make trouble, as long as the White Paper remained in force.
To the average Jew the division's arrival would therefore only appear to be aimed at the prevention of further immigration. How could one imagine a Jew inviting a soldier to his house, if the same man's duty .might lead him the next day to prevent the host's brother or son who had survived Auschwitz or Dachau from landing? Moreover it should be borne in mind that the restrictions of the White Paper are considered by the Jews, and not only by them (as witness the condemnation by the Mandate Commission and various British statesmen), as 'illegal. The soldiers performing these acts have therefore not even the prestige of the law on their side. If in these circumstances a people so sorely tried as the Jews, and so traditionally averse to violence, react with some acts of force, this ought rather to be made a reason for conscience-searching than for virulent anti-Semitism. It must also be noticed that wg have not heard anything of anti-Egyptianism or anti-Arabism, although only recently British soldiers have been the victims there of numerous attacks, with possibly far less excuse of injustice suffered or nerves frayed by exasperation.—I am, Sir„, yours faithfully, D. FREEDMAN. 40 Aberdare Gardens, N.W. 6.
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