1923: Palestinians Fear Zionist Domination

On 26th July 1923 The Daily Herald reports on a debate in the House of Commons. Under the headline ‘Angry Palestinians’ The Herald reports that Conservative MP Charles Foxcroft has no confidence in Sir Herbert Samuel British High Commissioner to Palestine and that Palestinians fear Zionist domination..

The Herald does not quote exactly what Foxcroft said in the Commons but reports that he had seen a great change in the attitude of Palestinians towards Britain since the end of the First World War. He claims that Palestinians had wished the British to stay in Palestine “but now we were distrusted and there was simmering unrest.”

The Herald goes on to report his speech as saying “There was only one reason for this change and that was the fear of Zionist domination. The Balfour declaration, which promised a national home to Zionist Jews was opposed by the population.”

“Sir Herbert Samuel was a Zionist Jew with Zionist aspirations” which made it impossible for him to do justice to the 93% of Palestines population who were Arabs.”

“He argued that to restore confidence Sir H. Samuel should be promoted to another sphere, and that a High Commissioner should be appointed who was an Englishman who had no axe to grind”