Jewsand Palestine, by Gandhi - From Harijan
Hitherto I have refrained practically from saying anything in public regardingthe Jew-Arab controversy. I have done so for good reasons. That does not meanany want of interest in the question, but it does mean that I do not considermyself sufficiently equipped with knowledge for the purpose. For the some reasonI have tried to evade many world events. Without airing my views on them, I haveenough irons in the fire. But four lines of a newspaper column have done thetrick and evoked a letter from a friend who has sent me a cutting which I wouldhave missed but for the friend drawing my attention to it. It is true that I didsay some such thing in the course of a long conversation with Mr. Louis Fischeron the subject. I do believe that the Jews have been cruelly wronged by theworld. "Ghetto" is, so far as I am aware, the name given to Jewishlocations in many parts of Europe. But for their heartless persecution, probablyno question of return to Palestine would ever have arisen. The world should havebeen their home, if only for the sake of their distinguished contribution to it.
But, in my opinion, they have erred grievously in seeking to impose themselveson Palestine with the aid of America and Britain and now with the aid of nakedterrorism. Their citizenship of the world should have and would have made themhonoured guests of any country. Their thrift, their varied talent, their greatindustry should have made them welcome anywhere. It is a blot on the Christianworld that they have been singled out, owing to a wrong reading of the NewTestament, for prejudice against them. "If an individual Jew does a wrong,the whole Jewish world is to blame for it." If an individual Jew likeEinstein makes a great discovery or another composes unsurpassable music, themerit goes to the authors and not to the community to which they belong.
No wonder that my sympathy goes out to the Jews in their unenviably sad plight.But one would have thought adversity would teach them lessons of peace. Whyshould they depend upon American money or British arms for forcing themselves onan unwelcome land? Why should they resort to terrorism to make good theirforcible landing in Palestine? If they were to adopt the matchless weapon ofnon-violence whose use their best Prophets have taught and which Jesus the Jewwho gladly wore the crown of thorns bequeathed to a groaning world, their casewould be the world`s and I have no doubt that among the many things that theJews have given to the world, this would be the best and the brightest. It istwice blessed. It will make them happy and rich in the true sense of the wordand it will be a soothing balm to the aching world.
Panchagani, July 14, 1946