In July 1922 the Council of the League of Nations approved the mandate instrument for Palestine, including its preamble incorporating the Balfour Declaration and stressing the Jewish historical connection with Palestine. Article 2 made the mandatory power responsible for placing the country under such â??political, administrative and economic conditions as will secure the establishment of the Jewish National Homeâ?¦and the development of self-governing institutions.â? Article 4 allowed for the establishment of a Jewish Agency to advise and cooperate with the Palestine administration in matters affecting the Jewish national home. Article 6 required that the Palestine administration, â??while ensuring that the rights and position of other sections of the population are not prejudiced,â? under suitable conditions should facilitate Jewish immigration and close settlement of Jews on the land. Although Transjordanâ??i.e., the lands east of the Jordan Riverâ??constituted three-fourths of the British mandate of Palestine, it was, despite protests from the Zionists, excluded from the clauses covering the establishment of a Jewish national home. On September 29, 1923, the mandate officially came into force.
Palestine was a distinct political entity for the first time in centuries. This created problems and challenges for Palestinian Arabs and Zionists alike. Both communities realized that by the end of the mandate period the regionâ??s future would be determined by size of population and ownership of land. Thus the central issues throughout the mandate period were Jewish immigration and land purchases, with the Jews attempting to increase both and the Arabs seeking to slow down or halt both. Conflict over these issues often escalated into violence, and the British were forced to take actionâ??a lesson not lost on either side.
Read Full Article »