HMSO Cmd 3530.: Report of the [Shaw] Commission on the Palestine Disturbances of August 1929; , London: March 1930.

This report concerns the violence in August 1929, its immediate origins, and immediate aftermath, which are the effective starting point of the most violent aspects of the Arab-Jewish differences over Mandate Palestine. The four-man Commission included three senior barristers, plus Mr H Snell MP as the only lay member, son of a farm labourer, graduate of LSE and Heidelberg, and a man of integrity with an affinity for the Arab farm worker's condition. From his agricultural background, he felt that Jewish immigration was desirable to Arabs [p174] and that Jewish land policies are beneficial overall [p177]. Despite the strong legal content of the Commission, it failed to identify the absence on leave of a high proportion of the most senior Gazetted officers and did not call many obviously neutral key potential witnesses. Whitehall framed the terms of reference to pre-empt the possibility that the result might conclude Arab culpability for the violence, and that the Jerusalem government was caught napping. Mr Snell signed the report, but added a 10-page note of reservations in which he expressed his belief that Arab agitation was the source of the violence and amongst many other matters, criticised the government for preventing Jews arming themselves as defence against expected armed Arab violence. Despite Mr Snell's reservations, it also included a recommendation that Jewish immigration be subject to review [pp112 & 165], the implication being that it should be limited. [see Cmd3686]. The problems associated with this report are manifold, and may be considered a whitewash of British misgovernment actions, and which are a factor in today's difficulties there. The text includes the names of all witnesses called to both the Open and In-Camera sittings, and a list of all exhibits referred to, and which were published in Col. No.48. This book has been excellently rebound in hard-back, utilising the original blue card covers. All four maps are integral in the text, and apart from a small library stamp and small signatures of two owners, has no markings. 202pp, six appendices, plus four population growth projection charts 1920-2000. (Book ref. 38313)  £140.00

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