[Dr. Stephen S. Wise, Rabbi of the Free Synagogue, and Chairman of thePolitical Committee of the Zionist Organisation of America, speaking at theDinner of the Friends of Gandhi in New York, in honour of his sixty-secondbirthday, made the following statement. As far as can be ascertained, Dr. Wisewas referring to the interview with Mr. Gandhi, published in The JewishChronicle of October 2nd, a somewhat inaccurate version of which was circulatedin America by a news agency. -The Jewish Chronicle.]
Jews throughout the world cannot but help regretting the word of Gandhi spokenconcerning Zionism. It is strange to find Gandhi alluding to Zionism as if itmight mean the "re-occupation of Palestine", with all of the sinistermilitary meaning which "occupation" and "re-occupation"convey. Is re-occupation to be added to the vocabulary of misunderstanding,which already includes such terms as "landless Arabs", havingreference to Arabs who will to dispose of their land holdings at unreasonablyhigh prices to Jewish settlers? Gandhi is right in saying that "Zionism,in its spiritual sense is a lofty aspiration", but such a Zionism, if itremain an aspiration, can little help those Jews who must re-establish themselvesin Palestine because the world has, for the most part, shut its doors. It isnot easy to understand the paradox of Gandhi, "I understand the longing ofthe Jew to return to Palestine. He can do so." But Gandhi adds,"provided it is done without the help of bayonets belonging either toBritain or the Jews." The answer might be made that British bayonets freedthe Arabs of Palestine and gave to the Arabs of Palestine and neighbouringcountries the freedom which they today enjoy. But it is more important to sayand Gandhi is so hospitable to truth that he ought to know, and if he does notknow, he will wish to know - that there were virtually no British bayonets inPalestine until Arab bayonets perpetrated the massacre of August-September1929. As for the Jewish settlers in Palestine, no one can sanely and honestlyaccuse them of resting their case on bayonets. Their title is immemorial, andthey have returned to Palestine not to hurt and to wound, but to serve toenrich and to bless the land and all its people. This have they done from everypoint of view, economically, culturally, morally and spiritually.
Gandhi closes his beautiful message with the thought, "The real Jerusalemis a spiritual Jerusalem. That is true, but what would Gandhi say if that answerwere made to him by the British Government respecting India. If "the Jewcan realise this Zionism in any part of the world", then the people ofIndia do not need the physical abode of India in which to work out the problemsof life and peace. Would that Gandhi knew that what he claims is the sufferingand denial of his people in India is the status of the largest number of Jewsin the world, that Jews have no desire for military occupation or forciblere-entry into Palestine, that they seek peaceably and, in a very real sensenon-resistently, to live and labour and serve and to sacrifice for Palestine,which means to many Jews exactly what India means to Gandhi! There is noloftier nor nobler spiritual enterprise among the sons of men than theundertaking to re-establish Jewish life in Palestine. This purpose should havethe furtherance and blessing of Gandhi, as Gandhi`s hope for his people`sfreedom has the goodwill of all men who believe in peace and freedom for allpeoples.