Important letter by Rabbi Kook to the Chief Rabbi of London, Rabbi Joseph Hertz, in response to the appearance of the Arab delegation before the Bishop of Canterbury. Typewritten on official letterhead of the Chief Rabbinate of the Land of Israel, with Rabbi Kook’s handwritten signature. 4 Elul 5681. (September 7, 1921).
In his letter, Rabbi Kook writes that the entire false representation made by the Arab delegation before the Bishop of Canterbury, as though the Jews sought to drive out the Arabs and deprive them of their rights, “are all slanderous accusations, like all the accusations to which the enemies of Israel are accustomed.” He asks Rabbi Hertz to approach the Bishop promptly on behalf of the Chief Rabbinate of the Land of Israel and convey to him the message that the Jews have no intention of driving out the inhabitants of the land or depriving them of their rights: “All our aspiration is to build our Holy Land, which is desolate and in ruins, in such a manner that our building will bring blessing to all its inhabitants, ” and that in this matter there will also be blessing for all humanity.
After the 1920 riots and the arrival of High Commissioner Herbert Samuel, the Arab leadership sought to halt the implementation of the Balfour Declaration and the “National Home” policy. In 1921, an official Arab-Palestinian delegation was sent to London, headed by Musa Kazim al-Husseini (former mayor of Jerusalem) and joined by political figures and Muslim and Christian religious leaders. The delegation sought meetings with the British government, Members of Parliament, church committees, and public figures, aiming to persuade them to revoke the Balfour Declaration and stop Jewish immigration. At the time, the Archbishop of Canterbury was Randall Thomas Davidson, considered one of the prominent voices in the Anglican Church on Middle Eastern affairs. He maintained ties with Christian representatives in the Land of Israel, particularly from the local Anglican Church and from British church institutions in Jerusalem. The Arab delegation claimed before him that Britain was granting rights to a foreign Jewish population that did not constitute a majority in the country, at the expense of the Arab majority. They also argued that “the country is already settled” and therefore the establishment of a Jewish National Home would result in the displacement of the Arab inhabitants. In the meeting with the delegation (and at times also in public statements), the Archbishop expressed understanding for the “Arab concerns” regarding demographic changes in the Land of Israel and spoke of the need to protect the rights of the non-Jewish inhabitants. Against this background, Rabbi Kook hastened to approach Rabbi Hertz, asking him to convey the proper, balanced, and truthful message regarding the intentions of the Jews of the Land of Israel.
[1] leaf. Fold marks. Good condition.
