Sarcasm as The Anti-Zionist's Weapon

Those who, on occasion, scan various comments' sections of sites where anti-Zionism is the rule, will smile at reading this, from 1920-:

PALESTINE (RESTORATION TO JEWS).HC Deb 27 April 1920 vol 128 cc1026-7 1026

§48. Mr. C. EDWARDS asked the Prime Minister whether the pledge given to the Jewish people by Great Britain, France, Italy, America, and the other Allied Powers to restore Palestine to the Jewish nation has been agreed upon by the Supreme Council; and whether Great Britain is to become the mandatory power under the League of Nations?

§Mr. BONAR LAW The pledges made by the Powers referred to have been adopted by the Supreme Council. The answer to the last part of the question is in the affirmative

§Colonel WEDGWOOD Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether this decision will involve a change in the military governorship of Palestine, and when it is likely that civil administration will be instituted?

§Mr. BONAR LAW That does not arise out of the question.

§Mr. JAMESON In view of the fact that in much more recent times the national home of the Anglo-Saxon was Schleswig-Holstein, will the right hon. Gentleman consider the necessity of clearing the English out of England?

§Mr. SPEAKER The House has not sufficient time to make a historical research of that kind.

By the way, two days later, Loyd-George, the Prime Minister said this and little did he know:

I am exceedingly glad that it is now definitely and finally settled that the mandate of Palestine is to be given to this country. I say that not with any megalomania and not from any belief that it is going to be of great or any advantage, direct advantage, to this country. I believe it will be a burden and responsibility of a very serious kind. I believe that the mandatory of Palestine will have one of the most difficult tasks that could possibly be allotted to a nation. The mandatory will have exceedingly complex racial questions to settle and will have to deal with them with great tact and judgment, and in all probability without receiving any return for such exertion, except what he may hope for in the gratitude of those races who will benefit by those exertions.

And this was said by Edward Turnour, Earl Winterton

There is only one other point that I will put to the Prime Minister, and that relates to the boundary between Palestine and Arabia. So long ago as 1918 there was a conference as to boundaries between the Emir Feisul and a representative of the Zionists. I am talking of the boundaries on the South. It is of the utmost importance, if the Zionists are to enjoy a peaceful life in Palestine, that the River Jordan should be the boundary between them and the Arabs. I understand that it is not agreed that the River Jordan should be the boundary, but it is desired that the land on the other side of Jordan should be adopted as the boundary. In my opinion that country could never be occupied by the present cultivators, who form the great bulk of those who get their living on the land in that district. It will be impossible for us to protect any Zionist colony there without a large force of cavalry and aeroplanes. For these reasons I hope that the River Jordan will be made the boundary between the Zionists and the Arabs.

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