Colonel Vivian Gabriel

As promised in my last post, what follows is the little I know about the author of the invaluable 1922 whistle-blowing essay The Troubles of the Holy Land, Vivian Gabriel. It's taken from that richest of all sources on the early years of British collusion with Zionist skullduggery in Palestine, JMN Jeffries' Palestine: The Reality (1939):

[NB: Louis Brandeis was the American equivalent of Britain's Chaim Weizmann, a Justice of the US Supreme Court, and friend of President Woodrow Wilson. He visited Palestine in 1919; Major-General Sir Arthur Money was the Chief Administrator in Palestine, 1918-19.]

"One way and another, between the pressure brought by the [Zionist] Organization chiefs in London and by Brandeis of the golden memory, British officers who did not, like Balfour, see eye to eye with the Zionists, began to lose their posts. They were either forced into resignation or removed. 'One of the chief saboteurs of the Balfour Declaration was removed through his (Mr Brandeis's) influence', writes Mr Kallen, a cautious commentator. Our faithful Zionist Organization Report, too, has something to say of the last days of Major-General Money's rule. He had made a speech condemning the policy of creating 'separate institutions for different communities', whether charitable or educational.

"Shortly afterwards a circular letter was sent from Headquarters to all Military Governors asking their opinion as to the advisability of creating mixed Government schools, for Arabs and Jews alike. The Zionist Commission, it goes without saying, energetically resisted all these attempts, and it is possible that its endeavours, as well as representations made by the London Office to the Home Government had something to do with Major-General Money's recall from the post of Chief Administrator.

"As it happens, General Money already, and for the second time, had tendered privately to Lord Allenby his resignation from his thankless post. But if he had not decided to retire it is evident enough that he would have had to retire. He is not to be confounded with the 'chief saboteur of the Balfour Declaration' just mentioned. This was Colonel Vivian Gabriel (now Sir Vivian Gabriel). Colonel Gabriel was Assistant Administrator of OETA [Occupied Enemy Territory Administration] South. Before the War he had held several highly responsible positions in the Indian Civil Service. In 1914 he had been attached to the Headquarters Staff in Egypt. He then became a member of the British Military Mission to the Headquarters Staff of the Italian Army. At the time he was Financial Adviser to the Palestine Administration. He does not appear to have pleased the Zionists for a number of reasons. Among them, 'he busied himself in promoting British commercial interests. His circulars betrayed in culpable language the belief that Palestine was part of the British Empire'. (Wise-de Haas.)

"Lord Sydenham, when the opportunity occurred, some months later during a Lords debate, directly accused the Government of taking action against British officials, under Zionist influence. 'The military Administrator at the time', said he, 'found that his position had become impossible, and then a most capable Indian Civil Servant, appointed by the War Office as Financial Adviser, and specially commended for good work, was suddenly dismissed... He was condemned unheard, because it was stated that he had adopted 'an attitude inconsistent with the Zionist policy of the Government'. Lord Curzon, who closed the Debate for the Government, had not a word to say in reply." (pp 316-317)

It is to Gabriel's credit that he didn't go quietly, penning at least his eloquent account of Palestine's nascent troubles and warning against the catastrophe to come.

[See also my 26/12/11 post Zionism in the Dock.]