867N.01/11–1145: Telegram

The Chargé in Egypt (Lyon) to the Secretary of State

2101. Secretary General Arab League28 today delivered memo which he especially urged that I transmit by telegraph.

Memo contained section 2 this message.

The British Embassy has also furnished me in confidence text of Palestine statement Bevin proposes issuing Parliament 3:15 p.m. (GMT)29 tomorrow, copy of which I am told was furnished Dept. In view proposed British action I thought it would be useful for Dept have Arab League statement quickest.

Killearn due Cairo this evening from London. Will deliver copy Bevin’s statement to Egyptian Prime Minister tomorrow afternoon.

Section 2.

The Secretary General of the League of Arab States presents his compliments to His Excellency the Secretary of State of the USA and has the honor to inform him that he is authorized to communicate to His Excellency the following in the name of the League of Arab States [Page 818] and in accordance with a decision taken unanimously by its Council on the 10th of November, 1945.

Peace-loving Arab States participating with United Nations in war sacrifices and international pacts and willing to maintain best relations with USA and Great Britain wish for the sake of maintaining peace and security in Arab countries that no decision concerning Palestine should be taken that may be harmful to friendly relations or may disturb peace and security in Palestine or any other country.

The Arab Govts members of the League of Arab States in order to make clear their attitude consider it their duty to draw the attention of both the USA and the British Govt to the following:

1.
The British Govt has issued in 1939 the White Paper which precised their policy towards Palestine30 and in which essential and final rules had been laid down.
a.
Paragraph 3 of article XIV of the White Paper mentioned: “After the period of 5 years no further Jewish immigration will be permitted unless the Arabs of Palestine are prepared to acquiesce in it.”
b.
Paragraph 4 of article XIV of the White Paper mentioned: “His Majesty’s Govt are determined to check illegal immigration and further preventive measures are being adopted. The numbers of any Jewish illegal immigrants who despite these measures may succeed in coming into the country and cannot be deported will be deducted from the yearly quotas.”
c.
Article XV of the White Paper mentioned: “His Majesty’s Govt are satisfied that when the immigration over 5 years which is now contemplated has taken place they will not be justified in facilitating nor will they be under any obligation to facilitate the further development of the Jewish national home by immigration regardless of the wishes of the Arab population.”
d.
Article IV mentioned: “His Majesty’s Govt therefore now declare unequivocally that it is not part of their policy that Palestine should become a Jewish state. They would indeed regard it as contrary to their obligations to the Arabs under the Mandate as well as to the assurances which have been given to the Arab people in the past that the Arab population of Palestine should be made the subjects of a Jewish state against their will.”

The National Govt in its capacity as a mandatory power and after a long experience of 20 years during which the proportion of Arab population to Jews which was 10 to 1 has been decreased to 2 to 1 found it by its own free will necessary to pledge herself to the above principles and to stop all immigration to Palestine after 5 years of the issue of the White Paper.

The late President Roosevelt made it clear to heads of Arab States that no decision be taken with respect to the basic situation in Palestine without full consultation with the Arabs and he assured them that he would take no action in his capacity as Chief of the Executive Branch of the USA which [would?] prove hostile to the Arab people.

These undertakings have been later confirmed by President Truman and by the Secretary of the Dept of State.

[Page 819]

Any attempt to renew Jewish immigration into Palestine will no doubt change the basic situation in that country and the Arab States cannot agree to any decisions that change the standing policy pledged in that respect by the White Paper of 1930 [1939?] and consider it inconsistent with undertakings given by both US and British Govts.

Arab Govts therefore desire to express their wish and hope that the British and the US Govts shall not take decisions on resolutions regarding immigration or settling of the Palestinian problem without full consultation and agreement with Arab States.

They are sure that both American and British Govts will fully realize how deep and sincere [is?] the existing friendship of the Arab people and their Govts towards the two great democracies.

The Secretary General of the League of Arab States takes this opportunity to renew to His Excellency the Secretary of State the assurance of his very highest consideration.

Lyon
  1. Abdul Rahman Azzam.
  2. Greenwich mean time.
  3. British Cmd. 6019 (1939): Palestine, Statement of Policy.