Page 16 - Kol Bogrei Habonim - February 14
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Bentwich is not consciously biased and is a I am afraid that the Arabs may have another
useful restraining influence on the Jews in shot at him, but I am afraid that it may be
Palestine, moreover such a course will be difficult to get him to go. He will be
difficult to justify in view of his record.’ unwilling to be intimidated into leaving the
Whereas Chancellor had tried to hang on to country, I shall have to try and persuade the
Bentwich it was clear that the forces were doctors to order him to go on sick leave for a
building up against him. When the Shaw few months.’
Commission enquiry into the cause of the 1929 Chancellor had not actually dismissed Bentwich
Riots opened in November, Chancellor informed but was not unhappy to see him go, as the two
Bentwich that it would be inappropriate for him men had publicly fallen out a short time
to represent the Government at the Commission previously. Chancellor had recently personally
of Enquiry. In his book, Bentwich: Wanderer taken up the cause of the evicted Arab farmers
Between Two Worlds he wrote: and proposed passing legislation which would
it was judged by those in authority that make the transfer of Arab land to non-Arabs
because of my Zionist sympathies, my illegal without the High Commissioner’s
position would have been very difficult if I approval. Bentwich strongly opposed this
had been called upon as the Attorney- initiative and told him that it would give the
General to advise the government about the High Commissioner unjustified control of
defence to the charge of gross negligence private transactions, and his proposed bill was
and connivance. So against my will I was not racially discriminatory and contrary to the terms
consulted by the High Commissioner, and did of the Mandate.
not appear before the Commission. Chancellor’s reaction was to attack Bentwich
The Arab side, feeling that victory was theirs, personally, stating that:
intensified its campaign and the newspaper no Jew really had British interests at heart
Filastin published an article stating that and that his Jewishness disqualified him
‘Bentwich must be removed from office.,’ At the from his post-apart from his avowed
1929 Arab Congress there was a call for Zionism.
'Bentwich to go, because he is a Jew, a Zionist, The dispute was described by Naomi Shepherd
and an enemy of Arabs.’ as, ‘the worst clash between any High
As it happened Bentwich probably would not Commissioner and a Jewish Mandatory official.’
have been able to appear before the Commission Chancellor was correct when he presumed that it
th
anyway, because on November 24 1929 as he would be difficult to get Bentwich to leave. Two
left his office to have lunch, he was approached jobs were dangled in front of him. Chief Justice
by an Arab court employee who drew a pistol of Mauritius, and Chief Justice of Cyprus, but
and shot him in the knee. As a result of this Bentwich wanted nowhere else but Palestine and
bungled assassination attempt he was lightly had set his sights on remaining there and setting
wounded, but characteristically, Bentwich, a up home in the country. In the end, as
mild and placid individual, recovered quickly Wassserstein wrote, when he went on leave to
and insisted on conducting his would-be England at the end of 1930, he was:
assassin’s defence himself.
deeply upset by the hostility of the British
It was this incident which finally convinced official community in Palestine, and by the
Chancellor that he should make every effort to scurrilous personal attacks in the Arab press,
force Bentwich to resign and he wrote: but he still refused to formally resign.
I am anxious to get him out of the country, as Bentwich was kept in London doing menial
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