§ Mr. MARCUSasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies the total exploitable land surface of Palestine; how many dunams are considered as cultivable, and how many dunams are in Jewish possession?
§ Dr. SHIELSThe total area of Palestine is about 26,000,000 dunams. In the absence of an exact definition it would be difficult to say what proportion can be regarded as exploitable. The estimated area of cultivable land, excluding some 1,000,000 dunams in the Beersheba district, which are occupied by Bedawin, is about 11,000,000 dunams. Approximately 1,000,000 dunams are in Jewish possession.