Zionistic Movement Hopes To Re-establish the Jews As a Nation in Palestine

Noted Lecturer Discusses Effect of Present European War on Realization of These Hopes · Beginning of Movement · The Present Leaders · Favored By England · Many Resources · Form Not Considered · Very Enthusiastic

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The lecturer’s remarks describe the existing population of Palestine as nomads who have developed nothing, and Africa and Asia as uncivilized continents. Transcribed as a record of what an American daily printed in December 1916.

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“An interesting account of the origin of the modern Zionistic movement, the success which it has achieved up to the present time, and the prospects for the ultimate triumph of the idea, is given by Philip M.

Raskin, the celebrated Zionistic leader… ‘We have received definite assurances from England that she will favor the national aspirations of the Jewish race,’ said Mr. Raskin.

‘England does not want to see a powerful military nation installed in Palestine, so near to Egypt and the Suez canal, in a region which is at the junction of, and is the key to Europe, Asia and Africa.

If the allies win it probably will be the end of Turkey, but the beginning of a new Jewish state… Turkey knows that Palestine must be occupied by some one, and like England would prefer the Jews to a rival nation, and the German emperor is known to favor the project.’

Many Resources. ‘Jewish colonization has proven that Palestine is still a land “flowing with milk and honey,”’ said Mr. Raskin, ‘and suffering only from lack of exploitation.

In addition to the 110,000 Jews, the population of the land consists of only about 300,000 Arab nomads, who have made no attempt to develop its natural resources.’

The boundaries of the new Jewish state of Palestine will be the same as those of David’s kingdom—from the border of Egypt to the river Euphrates, and from the Mediterranean to the Syrian desert…

Form Not Considered. With regard to the form of government to be employed in the new state, Mr. Raskin declared that the movement at present is to seek the establishment of the Jewish race in Palestine, and that the question of national political independence would come later…

Very Enthusiastic. ‘The Jewish nation, settled in its original home on the borders of Africa and Asia… will form the outpost of civilization on the edge of two great and uncivilized continents…’”

Context added by this archive

Montgomery, Alabama, eleven months before the Balfour Declaration, and nothing in it is inferred. The country is suffering only from lack of exploitation. The people already there are counted — only about 300,000 Arab nomads — and the sentence that counts them says what they are for: they have made no attempt to develop its natural resources.

The proposed borders run from Egypt to the Euphrates. The form of government is explicitly deferred: first the establishment, then the question of independence. And the purpose is stated as an outpost of civilization on the edge of two great and uncivilized continents.

Five years earlier a syndicated American correspondent had spent a full page on those same people plowing, threshing and keeping sheep in folds (CP-1911-002).

Cite this clipping

"Zionistic Movement Hopes To Re-establish the Jews As a Nation in Palestine," Montgomery Advertiser, 17 December 1916. Covering Palestine archive, CP-1916-006. https://coveringpalestine.org/archive/cp-1916-006