867N.01/10–2445: Telegram
The Consul at Jerusalem (Hooper) to the Secretary of State
Received October 24—4:35 p.m.
217. ReDept’s unnumbered circular telegram [219?] and telegram 220, October 18,86 in clear with instruction to inform appropriate Saudi Arabian authorities of Department’s October 18 press statement.
I personally presented statement upon its arrival on morning October 20 to Saudi Arabian Acting Consul General who expressed himself as highly pleased at the courtesy and expressed opinion that his Government and King would not be less appreciative of the gesture than he himself was. He said it was not intention of Saudi Government to disturb the situation by wantonly publishing notes that were by agreement to be kept secret but that circumstances altered the case and his Government’s hand was forced due to fact that Secretary General of Arab League had referred to Roosevelt’s letter to Ibn Saud. Arab news agency and Arab press published statement on October 21 in full and spoke of it as a distinct diplomatic courtesy. Statement appeared in all papers on October 21 without deletions and were referred to by local broadcasting stations. Jewish press published statement without comment while Arab press comments [Page 788] were favorable. Saudi Acting Consul General stated that October 19 had been set for local Arab demonstrations and sermons regarding Roosevelt–Ibn Saud exchange of notes but that he intervened as he felt that Arab-Jewish friction might inevitably result from such demonstrations and they did not take place. Past 2 weeks have been otherwise uneventful.