One of the issues that the British faced after seizing Palistine from the Ottoman Empire and establishing a Mandate regime was Jewish immigration. The British had no real interest in Palestine other than security for the Suez Canal, but in administering Palestine they found themslves mired into the Arab-Jewish differences. Herbert Samuel, a British Jew, was appointed the first High Commissioner of Palestine. Unlike areviling myth, he proceeded to place restrictions on Jewish immigration. He set up two governing concerns: 1) the ‘interests of the present population’ and 2) the ‘absorptive capacity’ of Palistine. [Cohen, p. 172] The Arabs and their British supporters claimed that Jew immigrants were forcing the Arab fellahin (peasantry) off the land. At the time less than a million people lived in an area that now has a population of 9 million. Actually it was the British who significanly limited the absorptive capacity of Palestine. Colonial Secretary Winston Churchill approved severing four-fifths of Ottoman Palestine, from mandatory Palestine (35,000 square miles) to create a new Arab state--Transjordan (1921). This was the area east of the Jordan River. This was a kind of consolation prize for the Hejaz and Arabia which the Saudis seized from Sherif Hussein. Transyordan was awarded to Sherif Hussein’s son Abdullah for his part in the World War I fighting against the Ottomans. He was installed as Transjordan’s emir and moved to flatly prohibit Jews from his new state. The British also placed restrictions on Jewish land purchases in what remained of Palestine. This was a violtion of the provision of the Mandate (Article 6) stating that “the Administration of Palestine ... ​shall encourage, in cooperation with the Jewish Agency ... ​close settlement by Jews on the land, including State lands and waste lands not acquired for public purposes.” British authoritres during the Mandate period allotted most of the 187,500 acres of cultivable land to the Arabs (87,500 acres) and very little to Jews (4,250 acres). [Auman, p. 25.] Ultimately, the British admitted the argument about the absorptive capacity of Palistine was largely specious. The Peel Commission found: “The heavy immigration in the years 1933–36 would seem to show that the Jews have been able to enlarge the absorptive capacity of the country for Jews.” [PRC, p. 300.] A range of factors affected the Jewish population and immigration in Palistine. The Jewish population in Palistine was basically unchanged during World War I, about 83,000-84,000. The Arab population, however, expanded from 590,000 to 643,000 (1915-22). [Census data]. We are not entirely sure why, but assume it was an influx from tribal areas of Atrabia seeking economic opportunity. Fluctuations during the 1920s were due to anti-Jewish economic legislation in Poland and restrictive American emmigration quota enacted by the United states. The fluctuations in the 1930s resulted from the NAZI seizure of power in Germany. The peak was in 1935 with the enactmnent of the Nuremberg Race Laws. British authorities were disturbed by the large numbers and informed the Jewish Agency that only a third of the requested quota would be allowed (1936). [Cohen, p. 53.] The British after the Arab Revolt moved to plascate the Arabs by establishing limits on Jewish immigtation in the 1939 White Paper. They commited to creating an independent Arab state within 10 years. And Jewish immigration would be limited to 75,000 for the next 5 years. Then it would cease completely. The British also prohibited land sales to Jews in 95 percent of Palestine. The Arabs, however, rejected the British proposal out of hand.

British Interest

One of the issues that the British faced after seizing Palistine from the Ottoman Empire and establishing a Mandate regime was Jewish immigration. The British had no real interest in Palestine other than security for the Suez Canal.

Arab-Jewish Diifferences

The British, in administering Palestine, they found themselves mired into the Arab-Jewish differences.

Early Restrictions

Herbert Samuel, a British Jew, was appointed the first High Commissioner of Palestine. Unlike a reviling myth, he proceeded to place restrictions on Jewish immigration. He set up two governing concerns: 1) the ‘interests of the present population’ and 2) the ‘absorptive capacity’ of Palistine. [Cohen, p. 172] The Arabs and their British supporters claimed that Jewish immigrants were forcing the Arab fellahin (peasantry) off the land. At the time less than a million people lived in an area that now has a population of 9 million. Actually it was the British who significanly limited the absorptive capacity of Palestine.

First Partition

Colonial Secretary Winston Churchill approved severing four-fifths of Ottoman Palestine, from mandatory Palestine (35,000 square miles) to create a new Arab state--Transjordan (1921). This was the area east of the Jordan River. This was a kind of consolation prize for the Hejaz and Arabia which the Saudis seized from Sherif Hussein. Transjordan was awarded to Sherif Hussein’s son Abdullah for his part in the World War I fighting against the Ottomans. He was installed as Transjordan’s emir and moved to flatly prohibit Jews from his new state.

Land Purchases

The British also placed restrictions on Jewish land purchases in what remained of Palestine. This was a violtion of the provision of the Mandate (Article 6) stating that “the Administration of Palestine ... ​shall encourage, in cooperation with the Jewish Agency ... ​close settlement by Jews on the land, including State lands and waste lands not acquired for public purposes.” British authoritres during the Mandate period allotted most of the 187,500 acres of cultivable land to the Arabs (87,500 acres) and very little to Jews (4,250 acres). [Auman, p. 25.]

Absorptive Capacity

Absorptive capacity depended on the technology and productivity of the population. The primitive technology of the Arabs did limit the absorptive capacity. The Jewish kibutzes used and imprived on farming techniques. The arabs were free to adopt them, but few did. Ultimately, the British admitted the argument about the absorptive capacity of Palistine was largely specious. The Peel Commission found: “The heavy immigration in the years 1933–36 would seem to show that the Jews have been able to enlarge the absorptive capacity of the country for Jews.” [PRC, p. 300.]

Annual Fluctuations

A range of factors affected the Jewish population and immigration in Palistine. The Jewish population in Palistine was basically unchanged during World War I, about 83,000-84,000. The Arab population, however, expanded from 590,000 to 643,000 (1915-22). [Census data]. We are not entirely sure why, but assume it was an influx from tribal areas of Arabia or Jordan and Egypt. Ironically they were attracted by the economic opportunity that the Jews in Palestine helped generate. Fluctuations during the 1920s were due to anti-Jewish economic legislation in Poland and restrictive American emmigration quota enacted by the United states. The fluctuations in the 1930s resulted from the NAZI seizure of power in Germany. The peak was in 1935 with the enactmnent of the Nuremberg Race Laws. British authorities were disturbed by the large numbers and informed the Jewish Agency that only a third of the requested quota would be allowed (1936). [Cohen, p. 53.] The British after the Arab Revolt moved to plascate the Arabs by establishing limits on Jewish immigtation in the 1939 White Paper. They commited to creating an independent Arab state within 10 years. And Jewish immigration would be limited to 75,000 for the next 5 years. Then it would cease completely. The British also prohibited land sales to Jews in 95 percent of Palestine. The Arabs, however, rejected the British proposal out of hand.

Legal and Illegal Immigration

Jewish immigration to Palestine was fairly limited (1920s). This was the case until the until the NAZIs began to become a major factor in Germ politics (1932) and then seize power (1933). As a result, the number of Jews desiring to escape Germany rapidly eclated. In response the British sharply cut back on the number of Jews who could emmigrate. The persecuted Hews were so desperate that they tried to enter Palestine illegally. The Jews preferred the term clandestine. Thus from 1935 we have legl and illegal immigration. Unlike other countries, the pesecuted Jews had allies in Palestine that were prepared and in some cases get them in clandestinely. The British and Arabs concocted the fiction of 'absorbability'. But what proved important was the numbers. The Jews in Palestine would not only have the Aran=bs, but the professional and well-armed armies of he Front-Line Arab states.

Sources

Auman, Moshe. “Land ownership in Palestine 1880–1948,” in Michael Curtis, et al., The Palestinians (New Jersey: Transaction Books, 1975).

Cohen, Aharon. Israel and the Arab World (New York: Funk and Wagnalls, 1970).

Created: 9:59 AM 10/1/2015
Last updated: 9:43 PM 11/3/2017