Folly in the Near East

OUR particularly well-informed Jerusalem correspondent reports in another column that the one result of Lord Balfour’s visit to Palestine has been immensely to stimulate the Arabs’ bitter resentment of the British mandate. We have been reminded of the prophecy that one day the Jews will return to their ancient home, but it would be idle to pretend that the pro-Zionist policy of the British Government has been dictated by the desire that the Old Testament prediction shall be fulfilled. The adoption of the “national home” policy was due to the desire to interpose a non-Moslem State between Syria and Egypt, a policy as fantastic and as certain to lead to trouble as the creation of the Dantzig corridor. . . If Lord Balfour’s mission to Jerusalem was a blunder, what can be said of the political folly that allowed the visit to Damascus? Trouble, as the Times special correspondent reported, was anticipated. The visit must have been most unwelcome to the French, while the news that a great English statesman had to be smuggled out of Damascus and hurriedly taken for safety on board a French steamer will not increase European prestige in the Moslem world. The French have shown little enthusiasm for that co-operation in the Near East which General Weygand declared was an “imperious necessity”, and their zeal is not likely to be stimulated by the Damascus incident.

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