[Enclosure]
The Egyptian Legation
to the Department of State
Aide-Mémoire
The realization of the aspirations of Palestine has always been one
of the objectives of Egyptian Policy. The Government of His Majesty
[Page 752] the King of Egypt have
not failed to give evidence to the interest they attach to this
problem. Thus, as soon as she joined the League of Nations, Egypt
has precisely formulated her point of view on the question of
Palestine in a speech delivered by the Minister of Foreign Affairs
at the Assembly of the League held on the 18th of September,
1937.
The speech emphasized the interest of the Egyptian people and their
Government in Palestine, on account of close historical and
religious affinity existing between the two sister and neighbouring
countries as well as the relations of amity and alliance existing
between Egypt and Great Britain and the necessity of finding a
solution of the various interests involved based on the principles
of equity and justice. Guided by these principles, practical
suggestions were made on behalf of the Egyptian Government to the
effect that Palestine remain in the hands of Palestinians of origin:
Mohammedans, Christians and Jews. Moreover, the speech uttered by
the Minister of Foreign Affairs recalled the promise made by the
British Government to the Arab world in 1917 [1918?]13 namely the contemplation of the eventual
recognition of the independence of all Arab countries including
Palestine; it pointed out that, after all, “the Balfour
Declaration”14 itself only envisaged favorably the establishment of a
National home for the Jews in Palestine and its endeavours to
facilitate the realization of this aim, with the clear
understanding, however, that nothing should be done that would
prejudice the civilization, the religion and the rights of other
communities in Palestine. This could [Page 753] only mean that any solution to be adopted,
should receive the consent of the Arabs as well as the other
communities.
It is of no little interest to mention, in this connection, that the
painful events which followed in Palestine have deeply moved the
Egyptian people, and the Egyptian Parliament echoed their voice by
demanding that the Government intercede and use all its influence
with a view of finding a speedy solution to this problem.
Consequently, the Egyptian Government approached the other Arab
countries and invited them to a convention which took place in Cairo
in 1939. The delegates to this convention emphasized the unanimous
interest of the Arab countries in the question of Palestine and thus
led to the convening of the “London Congress”15 in the same year.
As a result of elaborate negotiations the British Government
published a “White Book”,16 which consecrated, to a large extent, the
Arab revendications and proposed the creation of a Palestinian
State, which would attain its independence in a period of twenty
years. The same Book also proposed that the continuation of Jewish
emigration into Palestine should take into consideration the
capacity of absorption by that country as well as the economic
conditions, and that, at all events, such emigration should cease as
soon as the number of the Jews would attain one-third of the total
population and that no further Jewish emigration could take place
without the consent of the Arabs. The British Government, in turn,
undertook to carry out the conclusions adopted by the “White Book”.
A law was to be promulgated to regulate the repartition of the land
in Palestine. From that time on, Egypt has followed with great
interest the evolution of events in Palestine and, in complete
agreement with other Arab countries, watched anxiously the
realization of the aspirations in that country, taking also into
account the implications of the treaty of amity and friendship
between Egypt and Great Britain.17
However, the Zionist leaders made no secret of their ambitions to
transform Palestine into a powerful Jewish nation and, to attain
this end, they have displayed considerable activities in the
democratic nations. These activities which are reflected in the
Press, have found their echo amongst some of the responsible circles
as well as those possessing great political and social influence.
These maneuvers have had a deplorable effect on the Arab and
Mohammedan world, and it is feared that the success of the Zionist
propaganda in the U. S. A. may lead to the erroneous impression that
the U. S. Government favor [Page 754]
the Jews at the expense of the Arabs. In fact, the experience of the
past and the success of the Zionist activities during the last war
have affected the attitude of the Arabs and have resulted in the
difficulties, past and present, encountered by the British
policy.
It has been gratifying to witness that during the present world
conflict the U. S. A. has intensified her friendly relations with
the Arabic and Mohammedan nations. Egypt, which attaches a special
price to her friendship with the U. S. A., is very desirous that
nothing should ever obscure their relations and she feels it is her
duty to convey to the U. S. Government the painful reaction in
public opinion, as a result of the Zionist activities in America; in
fact, this reaction may not prove helpful to the task of the
Government whose profound sympathies have always gone to the
democracies and whose attitude has been most favorable to the
Allies. It is the hope of the Egyptian Government, therefore, that
the responsible circles of the U. S. A. should not lose sight of
these considerations and it is important to emphasize, in this
respect, that any promises or declarations made by them to the
Zionist cause will only create immeasurable difficulties. Is it
necessary to recall, in this connection, how harmful the promises
made by Great Britain to the Jews have proved and how far they have
contributed to complicate the situation in Palestine?
Needless to add that Egypt will only be too glad to collaborate, in
due time, in the solution of this thorny problem.
