Page 17 - Kol Bogrei Habonim - November 12
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sincerity and perfect selflessness, with definite 1914…The address to my mind was a speech to
opinions reached by his own judgment and the Arabs on the ‘Jewish peril in
experience. He stated them with warmth and Palestine’…With this concession to mob violence
emphasis without fear or favour. But his we may expect at any moment further
outbreaks... The High commissioner’s liberalism
controversies were “for the sake of Heaven,” for amounts to a premium to violence to which he
the cause not for himself. They left no rancour, bows.
but heightened regard for the man.’
Despite his early leanings towards Socialism,
On the other hand, he had to admit; ‘that his Eder always believed that Palestine should be an
external appearance masked his essential exclusively Jewish country, and there was no
cordiality – a heavy, powerful figure, a rather question of partnership with the Arabs.
grim expression, an economy of speech, a Questioned as to whether they wanted
disconcerting puncturing of humbug , a resolute predominance, he replied:
persistence in truth, and a never-failing critical
mind.’ It seems that we shall be the dominant partner.
Eder was a strong, intelligent, honest and serious In 1922 Eder had had enough of the perpetual
man, without great personality or humour. He political pressure which he had to deal with
was never able to build a close relationship with within the Palestine triangle and decided to go
the Yishuv or with the Administration officials. back to being a doctor.
His relationship with them was strictly business. Weizmann very much regretted Eder’s intended
In the years that he was looking after Zionist departure and wrote to him:
affairs in Palestine he fought the Administration I was dreadfully sorry to receive your note
over its refusal to recruit Jewish policemen or to giving me your decision. With this shortage of
pay them properly. He fought with the men in the Movement, your going is a great blow
Administration Health Department which from which we will not recover easily. On the
discriminated against Jewish doctors, and in other hand I feel and appreciate your reasons,
and realize that only a force majeure would
1919 went down to Egypt to settle a ‘mutiny’ induce you take such a step. There is some
which had broken out among the disgruntled comfort in the idea that you will be helping in
Jewish legionnaires, who were generally London, and your advice will be available. You
unhappy at the way they were treated by the have done great work in Palestine, and you were
military authorities, and particularly unhappy always there when and where the danger was
because they had been sent to Egypt. greatest.
Eder was deeply involved in the political Eder had done an important job for the Zionist
repercussions of the 1920 riots in Jerusalem and Organization at a time when it was still feeling
the 1921 riots in Jaffa, and accused the its feet in Palestine, and he handed on an
authorities of favouring the Arab side. He did not infrastructure to his successors - Kisch,
particularly like High Commissioner Herbert Arlosoroff, Ben-Gurion and Sharett on which
Samuel, and when the latter decided to halt they were able to create the basis for a Jewish
Jewish immigration after the Jaffa riots wrote: Government in Palestine.
After his return to England Eder was very much
I almost walked out of the meeting in the middle
of the speech. Judas was the word that came to involved in British Zionist activities for another
my lips. 14 years until his death in 1936. He was always
involved with the activities of the Hebrew
Later on he wrote:
University. He was elected to the London
We have gone through the greatest crisis in our Executive of the ZO in 1927, and became the
movement since the declaration of war in President of the EZF in 1931.
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