In May 1939, as the riots were ending, the British issued a White Paper restricting Jewish immigration and land purchase in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a geographic region in Western Asia usually considered to include Israel, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and in some definitions, parts of western Jordan.
What was the White Paper of 1939?
White Paper of 1939. The White Paper of 1939 was a policy paper issued by the British government under Neville Chamberlain in response to the 1936–39 Arab Revolt. Following its formal approval in the House of Commons on 23 May 1939, it acted as the governing policy for Mandatory Palestine from 1939 until the British departure in 1948,...
What was the British white paper on Palestine?
British White Paper of 1939 In the statement on Palestine, issued on 9 November, 1938, His Majesty's Government announced their intention to invite representatives of the Arabs of Palestine, of certain neighboring countries and of the Jewish Agency to confer with them in London regarding future policy.
What if the British had not written the White Paper?
Had the British not written the White Paper in 1939, an extended Arab revolt may have given the Mideast to Hitler. I doubt it, but one cannot be sure. More likely, the extra Jewish population could have garrisoned the area.
What was the purpose of the White Paper?
Throughout World War II, the White Paper allowed the British the support they had been seeking from the Arabs, while drawing opposition from the Jews.
What did the White Paper say Palestine?
Palestine. …the British government issued a White Paper, which essentially yielded to Arab demands. It stated that the Jewish national home should be established within an independent Palestinian state.
What did the white papers do?
The white paper stated that removing the unique legal status established by the Indian Act would “enable the Indian people to be free—free to develop Indian cultures in an environment of legal, social and economic equality with other Canadians.”
What did the Churchill White Paper do?
The white paper, formalized as a Palestine Order in Council in August, reaffirmed the British commitment to a national home, promised that Palestine would not become a Jewish State and that Arabs would not be subordinated to Jews.
What was the White Paper Palestine 1922?
Palestine. …the British government issued a White Paper in June 1922 declaring that Great Britain did “not contemplate that Palestine as a whole should be converted into a Jewish National Home, but that such a Home should be founded in Palestine.” Immigration would not exceed the economic absorptive capacity of the…
What is the purpose of a white paper quizlet?
A white paper is defined as: a technical document that describes how a product solves a particular problem. White papers are generally intended to: help consumers before they make a purchase.
What is the purpose of a government white paper?
White papers are policy documents produced by the Government that set out their proposals for future legislation. White Papers are often published as Command Papers and may include a draft version of a Bill that is being planned.
What was the Passfield White Paper of 1930?
The Passfield White Paper, issued October 20, 1930, by colonial secretary Lord Passfield (Sidney Webb), was a formal statement of British policy in Palestine, which previously had been set by the Churchill White Paper of 1922.
What was the first white paper?
In government The term white paper originated with the British government and many point to the Churchill White Paper of 1922 as the earliest well-known example under this name. Gertrude Bell, the British explorer and diplomat, was possibly the first woman to write a white paper.
What is a white paper example?
White papers are more in-depth and technical. For example, if you want to explain “What is Data Privacy,” go write an ebook, but to explain “State of Data Privacy in 2021 + Key trends,” create a white paper.
What was the purpose of the White Paper issued by Britain in 1939?
A British policy paper issued by the British government in May 1939, following suppression of the Arab Revolt of 1936-1939, stating the British objective of establishing an "independent Palestine State" bound to Britain and encompassing both Jews and Arabs.
When was White Paper created?
June 3, 1922Issued on June 3, 1922, the White Paper was the first official document from the British government re-asserting the Balfour Declaration within the framework of the British mandate.
Why did the Balfour Declaration happen?
Additionally, Britain's leaders hoped that a formal declaration in favor of Zionism would help gain Jewish support for the Allies in neutral countries, in the United States and especially in Russia, where the anti-Semitic czarist government had just been overthrown with the help of Russia's Jewish population.
Why are white papers important?
Typically, the purpose of a white paper is to advocate that a certain position is the best way to go or that a certain solution is best for a particular problem. When it is used for commercial purposes, it could influence the decision-making processes of current and prospective customers.
What is white paper in history?
A white paper is an authoritative report or guide that often addresses issues and how to solve them. The term originated when government papers were coded by color to indicate distribution, with white designated for public access.
What did the white paper of 1969 proposed?
The White Paper proposed to abolish all legal documents that had previously existed, including (but not limited to) the Indian Act, and all existing treaties within Canada, comprising Canadian Aboriginal law. It proposed to assimilate First Nations as an ethnic group equal to other Canadian citizens.
Why was the white paper rejected?
Aboriginal peoples rejected the white paper not because they were completely in favor of the Indian Act but because, for them, giving up the Indian Act meant surrendering any existing legislative claims to special Aboriginal rights; there were no other policy documents but the Indian Act that ensured such rights for ...
What would have happened if the British did not write the White Paper in 1939?
Hindsight is always 20/20. Had the British not written the White Paper in 1939, an extended Arab revolt may have given the Mideast to Hitler. I doubt it, but one cannot be sure. More likely, the extra Jewish population could have garrisoned the area.
What was the MacDonald White Paper?
It an amazing reversal of prior commitments, England issued the MacDonald White Paper of 1939, which severely limited Jewish immigration to Palestine for another five years, after which immigration would be halted altogether. This would preserve a two-thirds Arab majority in Palestine. The policy reversal turned on a loophole in the Balfour Declaration and the San Remo Documents which promised to guarantee Arab civil rights. It was an escape clause -- quite legal, but quite despicable.
What was the last thing the British needed to fight the Arab revolt?
Britain was in a quandary. While the revolt was seemingly over, the Arabs were seething with rage. They wanted England, and the Jews, out of Arab territory. With World War II looming, the last thing the British needed was a wide-ranging Arab revolt. Egypt's Suez Canal, Iraq's oil, and Palestine's oil pipeline were vital to the British. Rankling the Arabs was not wise.
Why did the Arabs claim there should have been no partition in 1947?
The Arabs claim that there should have been no partition in 1947 because the majority of the population in Palestine were Arabs. Indeed, that is true, but had the British let the Jews in between 1939 and 1945, there would have been an overwhelming Jewish majority in Palestine in 1947.
What was the British's chief interest in the oil pipeline?
Of course, the British passed themselves off as disinterested noble guardians stuck between two irreconcilably irrational opponents, but what seems to have been their chief interest was protecting the Iraq-Haifi oil pipline. The Arabs regularly targeted the pipeline during the Arab Revolt of 1936-1939, while British and Jewish forces sought to protect it. One suspects that if the pipeline had not ended in Haifa, the Jews would have been left on their own to the mercy of the Arabs.
How did Britain help Palestine?
Britain tried to alleviate the problem in Palestine by setting up the Peel Commission in 1937, which suggested partitioning off an astoundingly small Jewish state in the north of present-day Israel . The land to be allotted to the Jews would have been less than one half what the U.N. would recommend ten years later in 1947. Both Arabs and Jews rejected the Peel Commission's suggestion, though obviously for different reasons.
Who said "We will fight the war as if there were no white paper"?
When the war started, Ben Gurion said, "We will fight the war as if there were no White Paper, and we will fight the White Paper as if there were no war."
What did the Jews do during World War II?
The Jews began their revolt against the British and began to organize illegal immigration. However, with the outbreak of World War II, the Jews of Palestine had no choice to work with the British to fight the Nazis.
What was the British policy on Jewish immigration?
The British issued a policy document to limit Jewish immigration to 75,000 over the following five years. This White Paper also ended Jewish land purchases. The Arabs of Palestine began rioting against British rule starting in 1936. The British government appointed various Royal Commissions to find a solution.
What happened after the Peel Commission recommendations for partition were rejected by the Arabs?
After the Peel Commission recommendations for partition were rejected by the Arabs the British tried to get the Arab and Jews to negotiate at the London Conference. But that failed. At that point with the war on the horizon, the British issued the White Paper of 1939.
How many Jews were in Palestine in the Balfour Declaration?
The paper stated that as the Balfour Declaration had called only for the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine, and as there were over 450,000 Jews in Palestine, Britain had met its responsibility under the declaration.
What was the White Paper of 1939?
The 1939 White Paper illustrated a “stunning reversal of policy” (Smith 139) and was “interpreted by contemporaries as marking the end of the alliance between the Jews and Great Britain” (Shapira 276). It restricted Jewish immigration into Palestine to 10,000 per year for five years with an additional 25,000 refugees permitted.
Why did the British government publish the White Paper?
On the part of the British, this was an effort to secure crucial Arab cooperation in case of war. But neither the Jews nor the Arabs were pleased with the White Paper. The Jews took direct action against it, arguing that it violated earlier promises that had been made to them. The Arabs, on the other hand, argued that the restrictions were too weak.
What was the White Paper on Palestine?
The White Paper declared that “‘His Majesty’s Government believe that the framers of the Mandate in which the Balfour Declaration was embodied could not have intended that Palestine should be converted into a Jewish state against the will of the Arab population of the country’” (Smith 142). The new policy planned for Palestine to be an independent Arab state within ten ears, when Jews would make up no more than one-third of the population. Zionist reaction to the 1939 White Paper was abrupt. Declaring that the Jews would resist its implementation, the Jewish Agency argued that the plan was “contrary to international law and a violation of the promises made to the Jews in and since the Balfour Declaration” (Smith 142). On the day after its publication, the Grand Rabbi tore up a copy of the White Paper before the assembled congregation in the principal synagogue of Jerusalem.
Why was Palestine important to the Arab world?
The Palestine situation was crucial to gaining this support, as Arab leaders had become increasingly involved in the conflict during the revolt. Creating a solution that was favorable to the Arabs would promise Britain the support of the Arab world during the war.
What was the Jewish portion of the partition plan?
Still, the commissioners recommended three different partition plans. One plan reduced the Jewish portion to approximately 400 square miles along the coast, while the other two made the state even smaller. The Zionists rejected all of the proposals, which paved the way for the British government to issue a White Paper on November 9, 1938, which “discarded the entire notion of partition as ‘impracticable’” (Smith 141).
Why was peace important in Palestine?
Peace in Palestine was now considered “essential to British military security” (Smith 139). But more was necessary to guarantee British security in the region. In addition to control over Palestine, the British needed “assurance of the tacit, if not open, support of the neighboring Arab countries” (Smith 140).
How did the British stop the flow of refugees from Europe?
They simultaneously struggled to stop the flow of refugees from Europe by urging countries like Turkey to deny them transit. After the outbreak of war, the impossible refugee situation “created ‘almost…a war within a war’” as “Jews became increasingly bitter at what they saw as British inhumanity” (Smith 165). This situation led to disaster. In November 1940, British naval patrols intercepted two ships and transferred over 1,700 refugees to the SS Patria to be deported to Mauritius.
What was the White Paper that Britain passed in 1939?
While the Nazis prepared to annihilate the Jews in Europe, Britain passed a White Paper in 1939 that severely restricted Jewish immigration to Palestine under the British Mandate. The White Paper, the text of which is featured below, also reinterpreted the Balfour Declaration and declared that Britain did not intend to build an independent ...
What was the command paper of 1922?
But in the Command Paper of 1922 it was laid down that for the fulfillment of the policy of establishing a Jewish National Home: “it is necessary that the Jewish community in Palestine should be able to increase its numbers by immigration.
What is the policy of giving the people of Palestine an increasing part in the government of their country?
As soon as peace and order have been sufficiently restored in Palestine steps will be taken to carry out this policy of giving the people of Palestine an increasing part in the government of their country, the objective being to place Palestinians in charge of all the Departments of Government, with the assistance of British advisers and subject to the control of the High Commissioner. Arab and Jewish representatives will be invited to serve as heads of Departments approximately in proportion to their respective populations. The number of Palestinians in charge of Departments will be increased as circumstances permit until all heads of Departments are Palestinians, exercising the administrative and advisory functions which are presently performed by British officials. When that stage is reached consideration will be given to the question of converting the Executive Council into a Council of Ministers with a consequential change in the status and functions of the Palestinian heads of Departments.
How long does it take for Jewish immigration to be allowed in Palestine?
Before each periodic decision is taken, Jewish and Arab representatives will be consulted. After the period of five years , no further Jewish immigration will be permitted unless the Arabs of Palestine are prepared to acquiesce in it.
What would require such relations between the Arabs and the Jews as would make good government possible?
The establishment of an independent State and the complete relinquishment of Mandatory control in Palestine would require such relations between the Arabs and the Jews as would make good government possible. Moreover, the growth of self governing institutions in Palestine, as in other countries, must be an evolutionary process. A transitional period will be required before independence is achieved, throughout which ultimate responsibility for the Government of the country will be retained by His Majesty’s Government as the Mandatory authority, while the people of the country are taking an increasing share in the Government, and understanding and cooperation amongst them are growing. It will be the constant endeavour of His Majesty’s Government to promote good relations between the Arabs and the Jews.
What was the hope of the British government since the Balfour Declaration was issued?
It has been the hope of British Governments ever since the Balfour Declaration was issued that in time the Arab population, recognizing the advantages to be derived from Jewish settlement and development in Palestine, would become reconciled to the further growth of the Jewish National Home.
When did Jews protest against the White Paper?
Jews demonstrating against the White Paper in Jerusalem, May 18, 1939. (Wikimedia Commons) The Mandate for Palestine, the terms of which were confirmed by the Council of the League of Nations in 1922, has governed the policy of successive British Governments for nearly 20 years. It embodies the Balfour Declaration and imposes on ...
What was the British White Paper of 1939?
In the statement on Palestine, issued on 9 November, 1938, His Majesty’s Government announced their intention to invite representatives of the Arabs of Palestine, of certain neighbouring countries and of the Jewish Agency to confer with them in London regarding future policy.
What would require such relations between the Arabs and the Jews as would make good government possible?
The establishment of an independent State and the complete relinquishment of Mandatory control in Palestine would require such relations between the Arabs and the Jews as would make good government possible. Moreover, the growth of self governing institutions in Palestine, as in other countries, must be an evolutionary process. A transitional period will be required before independence is achieved, throughout which ultimate responsibility for the Government of the country will be retained by His Majesty’s Government as the Mandatory authority, while the people of the country are taking an increasing share in the Government, and understanding and cooperation amongst them are growing. It will be the constant endeavour of His Majesty’s Government to promote good relations between the Arabs and the Jews.
What is the administration of Palestine?
The Administration of Palestine is required, under Article 6 of the Mandate, “while ensuring that the rights and position of other sections of the population are not prejudiced,” to encourage “close settlement by Jews on the land,” and no restriction has been imposed hitherto on the transfer of land from Arabs to Jews. The Reports of several expert Commissions have indicated that, owing to the natural growth of the Arab population and the steady sale in recent years of Arab land to Jews, there is now in certain areas no room for further transfers of Arab land, whilst in some other areas such transfers of land must be restricted if Arab cultivators are to maintain their existing standard of life and a considerable landless Arab population is not soon to be created. In these circumstances, the High Commissioner will be given general powers to prohibit and regulate transfers of land. These powers will date from the publication of this statement of policy and the High Commissioner will retain them throughout the transitional period.
What is the policy of giving the people of Palestine an increasing part in the government of their country?
As soon as peace and order have been sufficiently restored in Palestine steps will be taken to carry out this policy of giving the people of Palestine an increasing part in the government of their country, the objective being to place Palestinians in charge of all the Departments of Government, with the assistance of British advisers and subject to the control of the High Commissioner. Arab and Jewish representatives will be invited to serve as heads of Departments approximately in proportion to their respective populations. The number of Palestinians in charge of Departments will be increased as circumstances permit until all heads of Departments are Palestinians, exercising the administrative and advisory functions which are presently performed by British officials. When that stage is reached consideration will be given to the question of converting the Executive Council into a Council of Ministers with a consequential change in the status and functions of the Palestinian heads of Departments.
How long will Jewish immigration last in Palestine?
After the period of five years, no further Jewish immigration will be permitted unless the Arabs of Palestine are prepared to acquiesce in it.
Who will have the ultimate responsibility for deciding the limits of economic capacity?
The existing machinery for ascertaining economic absorptive capacity will be retained, and the High Commissioner will have the ultimate responsibility for deciding the limits of economic capacity. Before each periodic decision is taken, Jewish and Arab representatives will be consulted.
Did the British support Palestine?
In the recent discussions the Arab delegations have repeated the contention that Palestine was included within the area in which Sir Henry McMahon, on behalf of the British Government, in October, 1915, undertook to recognise and support Arab independence. The validity of this claim, based on the terms of the correspondence which passed between Sir Henry McMahon and the Sharif of Mecca, was thoroughly and carefully investigated by the British and Arab representatives during the recent conferences in London. Their report, which has been published, states that both the Arab and the British representatives endeavoured to understand the point of view of the other party but that they were unable to reach agreement upon an interpretation of the correspondence. There is no need to summarize here the arguments presented by each side. His Majesty’s Government regret the misunderstandings which have arisen as regards some of the phrases used. For their part they can only adhere, for the reasons given by their representatives in the Report, to the view that the whole of Palestine west of Jordan was excluded from Sir Henry McMahon’s pledge, and they therefore cannot agree that the McMahon correspondence forms a just basis for the claim that Palestine should be converted into an Arab State.
What was the British White Paper of 1939?
British White Paper of 1939. In the statement on Palestine, issued on 9 November, 1938, His Majesty's Government announced their intention to invite representatives of the Arabs of Palestine, of certain neighboring countries and of the Jewish Agency to confer with them in London regarding future policy. It was their sincere hope that, as ...
What was the hope of the British government since the Balfour Declaration was issued?
It has been the hope of British Governments ever since the Balfour Declaration was issued that in time the Arab population, recognizing the advantages to be derived from Jewish settlement and development in Palestine, would become reconciled to the further growth of the Jewish National Home.
What is the policy of giving the people of Palestine an increasing part in the government of their country?
As soon as peace and order have been sufficiently restored in Palestine steps will be taken to carry out this policy of giving the people of Palestine an increasing part in the government of their country, the objective being to place Palestinians in charge of all the Departments of Government, with the assistance of British advisers and subject to the control of the High Commissioner. Arab and Jewish representatives will be invited to serve as heads of Departments approximately in proportion to their respective populations. The number of Palestinians in charge of Departments will be increased as circumstances permit until all heads of Departments are Palestinians, exercising the administrative and advisory functions which are presently performed by British officials. When that stage is reached consideration will be given to the question of converting the Executive Council into a Council of Ministers with a consequential change in the status and functions of the Palestinian heads of Departments.
How long does it take for Jewish immigration to be allowed in Palestine?
Before each periodic decision is taken, Jewish and Arab representatives will be consulted. After the period of five years , no further Jewish immigration will be permitted unless the Arabs of Palestine are prepared to acquiesce in it.
What would require such relations between the Arabs and the Jews as would make good government possible?
The establishment of an independent State and the complete relinquishmnet of Mandatory control in Palestine would require such relations between the Arabs and the Jews as would make good government possible. Moreover, the growth of self governing institutions in Palestine, as in other countries, must be an evolutionary process. A transitional period will be required before independence is achieved, throughout which ultimate responsibility for the Government of the country will be retained by His Majesty's Government as the Mandatory authority, while the people of the country are taking an increasing share in the Government, and understanding and cooperation amongst them are growing. It will be the constant endeavour of His Majesty's Government to promote good relations between the Arabs and the Jews.
What does His Majesty's Government require to be satisfied?
His Majesty's Government will also require to be satisfied that the interests of certain foreign countries in Palestine, for the preservation of which they are at present responsible, are adequately safeguarded.
Will the number of Palestinians in charge of Departments be increased?
The number of Palestinians in charge of Departments will be increased as circumstances permit until all heads of Departments are Palestinians, exercising the administrative and advisory functions which are presently performed by British officials.
Why did the British issue a white paper restricting Jewish immigration and land purchase in Palestine?
The 1939 White Paper signaled Britain’s readiness to relegate the Jews in Palestine to minority status in a future majority-Arab state. Restricting Jewish immigration to Palestine was especially troubling as World War II was about to engulf European Jews in the Holocaust.
When was the White Paper demonstration held?
The photo shows a demonstration against the White Paper held in Jerusalem on May 22, 1939.
What was the Peel Plan?
The 1930s witnessed prolonged Arab violence against the British and Zionists. In late 1936, in the midst of the Arab Rebellion, Britain sent an investigative commission to Palestine to find a solution to the ongoing conflict. Known as the Peel Commission, it suggested partitioning the land into separate Arab and Jewish states, and creating an international zone from Jaffa on the coast up to and including Jerusalem. The Peel Plan was never implemented; the Arab community rejected the plan although Jewish leaders in Palestine who did not like the plan were willing to negotiate.