(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Difficulties with regard to the citizenship question in Palestine were reported by the Central Citizenship Commission of the Jewish National Council of Palestine after a three months survey. In its report which the commission has just submitted to the Vaad Leumi, the chief difficulties are given as:
(a) “The high fee levied, which the majority of the Jews cannot afford; (b) the fear produced by inclusion in the Order of “the right of the High Commissioner” to prevent anyone being naturalized or even to withdraw citizenship in certain cases, for which His Excellency need given no reason; (c) the attitude of various consuls, who declare that they cannot acknowledge the citizenship, which creates a difficult and abnormal position; (d) the special privileges which foreign citizens enjoy and which they may lose by transfer; (e) the attitude towards the 1922 opted citizens; (f) the delay in issuing certificates and (g) the fact that no list has been kept of the 1922 citizens, so that people who have already paid once and have mislaid their certificates now lose their citizenship. The result is that up to the present only 3,500 people have been registered as citizens.”
The Commission thinks that much could be done if the Government could see its way clear to removing the present obstacles.
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