THE MILITARY IMPORTANCE OF PALESTINE. [To the Editor of the
SPECTATOR.] STR,—I am rather surprised to see you so persistent in your advocacy of the evacuation of Palestine and Mesopotamia at the present moment. Whether the Conservative papers at home are also in favour of this step I do not know. If they are, I wonder if any have considered any other aspect of the case than the economical and political aspect ? You, yourself, have put forward excellent and weighty reasons for the evacuation of these two countries from an economical point of view, but you do not appear to have considered the other side of the question, which, in my opinion, is of equal importance—that of Imperial Defence. May I express a soldier's view of the situation ?
Palestine lies on the flank of the most important link of
the line of communications of the Empire the Suez Canal. It is essential to the 'safety of the Empire in the East that the Saes Canal should be kept open to the enormous amount
of British traffic which passes through it. Any hostile move- ment from Europe directed against this important line of communication must come across Palestine. One might argue that we were perfectly safe and content with regard to the Suez Canal before 1914, when Palestine was not under our control. But the political situation in Central Europe has considerably altered since that date. The danger zone of Europe has moved East—Belgium and the Low Countries no longer occupy this far from enviable position. The Turkish nation has greatly increased in strength, " moral " and initiative. At the moment of writing the Near East situation is anything but reassuring.
Another factor to be considered—a factor which grows in importance daily—is that of the air communications of the Empire. Egypt is spoken of as " the Clapham Junction of the British Empire." In other words, it is the junction point of air routes from the north and east. In the near future, when air communication becomes more developed, Egypt, in its present position as centre of the Empire, will also be the junction of air routes coming from north, east, south and west. All routes going east must pass over Palestine the country to the south and Arabia are desert. The importance of this eastern route can hardly be exaggerated as a means of communication with Mesopotamia, Persia and India. British aeroplanes would naturally find it easier to keep this line of communication open if they flew over countries controlled by Great Britain.
Palestine's one natural harbour, Haifa, would, I believe, serve as an anchorage for the entire Mediterranean Fleet. Apart from any value this harbour might possess as a base for that Fleet, the fact of our controlling Palestine denies the use of this harbour to any hostile Power. With these con- siderations taken into account, is it not better, at the present moment, when things generally are so unsettled, to maintain our Mandate for Palestine, and to continue to maintain it until the country is sufficiently organized to be capable of ruling and defending itself and of forming a buffer State between Egypt and the Suez Canal and Europe ? The political situation in India does not encourage one to take Punjab, April 7th.
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