867N.01/775: Telegram
The Consul General at Beirut (Marriner) to the Secretary of State
[Received 2:05 p.m.]
Arabic opinion as expressed in the press here and in Damascus is in general dissatisfied with Royal Commission report on Palestine16 stating that the “surgical operation” proposed by Great Britain is destined to create confusion, to leave all power on the divide and rule principle to England, and effectively to cut the Arabs away from the coast line and all the richer lands. At the request of the British, the general commanding here assures me that strict measures have been taken for guarding the Palestine frontier to prevent any armed bands from Syria crossing to assist in possible demonstrations. The intention attributed to the Nationalist Party of preparing and arming such bands, allegedly at the request of the Grand Mufti17 of Jerusalem who recently visited Damascus, has been categorically denied by Nationalist leaders. They state that while they sympathize with the Arabs in Palestine there can be no question of armed intervention.