The Peel Commission essays

The Peel Commission essays The Arab Revolt of 1936, during the British Mandate over Palestine, led to perhaps one of the most important events leading up to the establishment of the independent state of Israel. As a reaction to the increasing immigration of Jews the Arab Higher Committee declared a strike, demanding the immediate end of Jewish immigration, the cessation of land sales to Jewish settlers and the establishment of an independent Arab government. The majority of the strike took form in violent attacks against Jews; with responsibility for maintaining peace, the British government had to take action. In August of 1936 they appointed a Royal Commission, chaired by Earl Peel, with the task of ascertaining the causes of the revolt and to make recommendations to end the hostilities and prevent future insurgencies. The Peel Commission was also given the duty to ... inquire more widely into the implementation of the Mandate, the obligations of the Mandate to both the Jews and Arabs, and the grievances bet ween the two (Shlaim 54). British officials in Palestine were the first to offer testimony to the Royal Commission. Most sought a sympathetic understanding of the difficulties from the commission by conveying the difficulties they faced under the pressure from both the Jewish populations, numbering approximately four hundred-thousand, and the Arab majority which neared a population of one million. Isaiah Berlin, an observer, made an excellent comparison paralleling the Mandate situation to a school setting, There was the headmaster, the High Commissioner, trying to be firm and impartial: but the assistant masters favored the sporting stupid boarders (Arabs) against the clever swot dayboys (Jews) who had the deplorable habit of writing home to their parents on the slightest provocation to complain about the quality of the teach, the food and so on (Shlaim 54). Berlins view is that the British Government wishes to stay impart...