§ Sir H. BRITTAINasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the function of the electoral assembly of the Jews of Palestine; whether it has been officially recognised; and whether it works in any way in conjunction with the advisory council?
§ Lieut.-Colonel AMERYThe function of the assembly in question, which was elected in April and May, 1920, is to look after the internal affairs of the Jewish community in Palestine. The administration of Palestine has recognised the assembly subject to the following conditions:—
(1) That the authority of any mandate for the government of Palestine endorsed by the League of Nations is recognised, and that no proposals are adopted or submitted inconsistent with the terms of the mandate.
(2) That in the future the assembly is found to retain its representative character by continuing to elicit at subsequent elections, as at its first election, the suffrages of a clear majority of the adult Jewish population.
The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.