ABSTRACT
The partition boundaries drawn by the Jewish Agency Executive would leave the Jewish State with a quite sizeable total Arab population. Even if New Jerusalem were included within the Jewish State's boundaries, the Arab population, according to the data available to the Executive, would total nearly 45 per cent of the Jewish State's population (297,000 out of 666,000). 1 The Royal Commission, as aforesaid, was aware that leaving such a sizeable Arab minority within the areas of the Jewish State was problematic and that population exchanges — even compulsory ones — were a necessary part of the partition process, and a precondition for obtaining the yearned-for peace. It would appear that the Royal Commission's recommendation regarding the transfer of populations — even if necessary by force — took even the Executive by surprise. During the course of 1936 and on until the first months of 1937, the idea of transferring Arabs from Palestine arose during the deliberations of the Executive in various contexts, including preparations for the appearance before the Royal Commission. However, the plan was quickly dropped, because it was deemed impractical and because if it was raised as a Zionist initiative it could provoke anti-Zionist responses.
