867N.01/1587
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom ( Kennedy ) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 31.]
Sir: Referring to my despatch No. 2679 of May 18, 193968 transmitting the British Government’s Statement of Policy on Palestine as made public on May 17, 1939, I have the honor to report that in the House of Commons yesterday Mr. Malcolm MacDonald, the Colonial Secretary, stated that the British Government would continue the ban on the return of the Mufti of Jerusalem to Palestine.
Mr. MacDonald’s statement was in reply to a question by Mr. D. R. Grenfell (Labor) who asked whether it is the intention of His Majesty’s Government, in connection with their new statement of policy, to allow the Mufti to return to Palestine. Mr. MacDonald replied as follows:
“No, Sir. His Majesty’s Government cannot lose sight of the facts, not only that the present Mufti of Jerusalem was the head of an organization which they held responsible for the campaign of terrorism and assassination against British and Jews, but also that he is the head of a faction which has for many months past pursued persistently a similar campaign against large numbers of Arabs. They have decided, therefore, to exclude him indefinitely from Palestine.”69
Respectfully yours,
Counselor of Embassy