File No. 867n.01/2
The Ambassador in Great Britain ( Page) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 22, 2.05 a.m.]
8033. Your 6041, December 15, 3 p.m.1 Lord Robert Cecil, in charge of Foreign Office while Mr. Balfour is ill, informed us that the British Government has an understanding with the French Government that Palestine shall be internationalized. Mr. Balfour’s letter, printed in the Times of November 9, merely [stated] that the British Government pledges itself to put [apparent omission] the Jews in Palestine on the same footing as other nationalities. No discrimination shall be made against them. This is as far as the British Government has yet gone.
Then followed an informal conversation. An internationalized Palestine must be under the protection of some great power. Lord Robert speaking only for himself feared that the continental powers would not agree that any one of them should hold the protectorate and some of them would object even to England’s holding it. Still speaking informally and only for himself he hoped that the United States would consent to be the protecting power when the time comes, and he felt sure that all the powers would gladly agree.