MAIN TALKING POINTS OF THE LESSON
- A. Prior to World War II, in 1939, Britain had promulgated a White Paper which severely restricted Jewish immigration to Palestine to 75,000 in five years, or 1,250 a month. But even this is a misleading statistic, since, according to the White Paper, the Arabs had to agree to the number of Jewish immigrants, which they did not. This policy helped kill thousands during the Holocaust who could not “get out” of Europe to Palestine and eventually were murdered in the death camps. Now, even though hundreds of thousands of Holocaust survivors had no place to go to and wished to go to Palestine, the British still enforced this immigration policy which caused such hardship.
- B. When the League of Nations gave Britain the area of Palestine on July, 24, 1922 as a Mandate, it was to assist in creating a Jewish national home. Britain promptly gave more than half of the area to become Trans-Jordan which they claimed are not subject to the rules of the Mandate. Thus, the 1939 White Paper severely restricting Jewish immigration to Palestine was in direct conflict with its purpose in administrating Palestine, and, hence, illegal. This immigration policy was also a complete renunciation of Britain’s own Balfour Declaration in 1917 which promised that it would “facilitate the establishment of the Jewish National homeland in Palestine”.
- C. The reason for the British actions were the vast oil deposits in Arab countries that the British needed. It did not want to antagonize any Arabs, and adopted its policies in Palestine accordingly. Thus, even though the White Paper was illegal and also abrogated its own 1917 stated goals, England clearly favored the Arab side rather than be impartial in the struggle for Palestine or even advocate for the Jews, as it had promised to do.
MORAL DILEMMA
You are among the highest ranking politicians in England. The year is 1939. You know that 22 years ago, your country issued a document, the Balfour Declaration, which recognized the right of the Jews to establish their country in Palestine. But pressure brought by the Arabs, through the economic weapon of oil, has influenced many inside the British government to prevent this from happening. Now you are being urged by many in your government to write and implement a White Paper that would severely restrict the immigration of Jews to Palestine – exactly what the Arabs want. You understand that the idea of a homeland for the Jews is morally right, but your priorities are to protect and enhance the country and citizens of England. Should you write the White Paper that contradicts the spirit of the Balfour Declaration and which will prevent many Jews from settling in Palestine, or not? List the reasons to write the White Paper that will prevent many Jews form immigrating to Palestine. List the reasons not to write the White Paper. What do you actually do? Why?
For further information, analysis, web sites and study by teacher and or student on this topic, please refer to the Data Disk of Episode 6 Educators’ Guide. Feel free to contact
Rabbi Dr. Nachum Amsel for any questions or issues Nachum@jewishdestiny.com or phone 212-444-1656 – (note time difference to Israel when calling.)