BOUSTANY (W.F.).
The Palestine Mandate: Invalid and Impracticable. A Contribution of Arguments and Documents towards the solution of the Palestine Problem.
CHALLENGING THE MANDATE IN 1936
A thorough critique of the Mandate for Palestine, by the Lebanese journalist and poet Wadi’ Faris al-Boustany (1886-1954). Published in 1936, it coincided with the first year of the Arab Revolt.
Boustany moved to Palestine in 1918 in order to work as an advisor to the Military Governor in Jerusalem. He would, however, resign in 1920 due to his opposition to political Zionism and his conviction that it was supported by the British Government. By 1936 he was, as is stated on the title-page, the ‘Representative of the Arab Cultivators in the Mudawra Lands Agreement with the Palestine Government [and] Member of the Third Palestine Arab Delegation to London’.
The book brings together his arguments against the Mandate (1920-1948) and its negation of Palestinian rights and self-determination. ‘In the Balfour Declaration, their [the Palestinians] “political” rights are suppressed. Their right as a “community formerly belonging to the Turkish-Empire” to be recognized as “an independent nation” is not implemented. In its fundamental terms the Mandate gives recognition to to the historical connection of the Jewish people to Palestine and to a National Home therein for them. This is the Palestine Problem.’ (Foreword, p.[iv]).
