Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1943, The Near East and Africa, Volume IV

867N.01/1882½

The Secretary of State to President Roosevelt ⁸²

Washington, July 19, 1943.

My Dear Mr. President: With your approval, we recently suggested to the British Government the issuance of a statement on Palestine, in order to reduce Arab-Jewish tension. Our suggestion was in the form of a statement by the United Nations, but we stated to the British that we saw both advantages and disadvantages in a United Nations’ statement on the subject, and that if the British preferred a joint Anglo-American statement, such would be agreeable to us.

Mr. Eden has now informed our Ambassador at London that the British Government warmly welcomes our proposal and thinks it will be most valuable in preventing any further aggravation of the position in Palestine. The British believe that the disadvantages of a statement by all the United Nations outweigh the advantages, and prefer a joint statement by the United States and British Governments.

Our proposed statement meets with the full approval of the British. However, they suggest an expansion of the concluding sentence to take account of a statement made by Lord Cranborne in the House of Lords on May 6, 1942. They also desire to add that the British Government will not permit or acquiesce in any changes brought about by force in the status of Palestine or the administration of the country, and that we are in full accord with that policy.

We consider that the British redraft is fully acceptable, apart from inconsequential wording due to differences in usage, and we shall have the statement issued here in accordance with American practice. These minor changes have already been cleared with the British Embassy.

Provided you perceive no objection, we shall immediately arrange with the British for simultaneous issuance of the statement in Washington and London at the earliest possible moment. The statement which we intend to issue here is attached.

Faithfully yours,

Cordell Hull

[Enclosure]

Statement for Issuance by the Governments of the United States and the United Kingdom Regarding Palestine

The Governments of the United States and of the United Kingdom, having in mind the terms of the United Nations declaration of January 1, 1942, are agreed that while public discussions on controversial international questions are in general desirable, in order to promote an informed public opinion and clarification of the issues involved, it is undesirable that special viewpoints should be pressed while the war is in progress to such an extent as to create undue anxiety among United Nations and other friendly governments and peoples.

In this connection, the Governments of the United States and of the United Kingdom have taken note of public discussions and activities of a political nature relating to Palestine and consider that it would be helpful to the war effort if these were to cease. As in the case of other territorial problems, it is not, in their view, essential that a settlement of the Palestine question be achieved prior to the conclusion of the war. Nevertheless, if the interested Arabs and Jews can reach a friendly understanding through their own efforts before the end of the war, such a development would be highly desirable. In any case, the British Government has already stated that no decision affecting the basic situation in Palestine would be reached without full consultation with all concerned, including both Arabs and Jews. But the British Government wishes to make it clear that it has no intention of permitting or acquiescing in any changes brought about by force in the status of Palestine or the administration of the country. The United States Government is in full accord with this policy.

82. Notation on the original: “CH OK FDR.”