867N.01/2–747
The British Embassy to the Department of State 1
Text of Message Received From Mr. Bevin Dated February 7th 1947
Following is summary of the proposals.
The document begins by reciting our obligations under the Mandate and points out that during the last twenty-five years we have done our best to further the legitimate aspirations of the Jews without prejudicing the interests of the Arabs. We have not however been able to “secure the development of self-governing institutions” in accordance with the Mandate because it has not been possible to find a basis of co-operation acceptable to both Arabs and Jews. A time has come when development in the direction of self-government can no longer be delayed. Forms of government must now be established which have their roots in the people of the country and which offer a prospect of full independence within a reasonably short period.
2. Under our present proposals the people of the country would be associated with the Central Government from the outset and would be given a large measure of responsibility for local affairs. British participation in the government would not continue for longer than necessary to effect the transition to complete independence and this period of transition would be fixed at five years.
3. The proposals would be embodied in a trusteeship agreement. We believe that they are in conformity both with the obligations already resting upon us under the Mandate and with the provisions of Article 76 of the United Nations Charter.
4. There would necessarily be an interval between the present discussions and the conclusion of a trusteeship agreement, but if it appeared that the suggested policy would command sufficient acquiescence in Palestine we could no doubt make interim arrangements in harmony with this policy before it was formally approved by the United Nations.
5. Paragraphs six to ten below outline the essential features of the proposed trusteeship agreement.
6. Areas of local administration would be delimited in such a way as to include in each a substantial majority either of Arabs or Jews. Neither the whole of the Arab territory nor the whole of the Jewish territory would necessarily be contiguous. A reasonably wide range of powers would be granted to the local administrations. There would [Page 1034] be safeguards for the rights of the Jewish minority in Arab areas and of the Arab minority in the Jewish areas.
7. “The British Delegation cannot accept the contention of the representatives of the Jewish Agency that the rate of Jewish immigration into Palestine as a whole should be determined by the Jews alone. Nor can they accept the demand of the Arab Delegation that all Jewish immigration into Palestine should cease forthwith. They do not contemplate either a settlement which would bring to an end the development of the Jewish National Home, or the admission of Jewish immigrants without reference to the effect of their entry on the rights and position of the non-Jewish population of the country. Any provisions made for future Jewish immigration must rest upon consideration for the well-being of Palestine as a whole.
“With this end in view the trusteeship agreement would provide for Jewish immigration at a rate of 4000 monthly, for a period of two years. This would guarantee the entry of approximately 100,000 additional Jewish immigrants. During the remainder of the period of trusteeship the continuance of immigration and the rate of entry would be determined with due regard to the principle of economic absorptive capacity by the High Commissioner in consultation with his Advisory Council; and in the event of disagreement the final decision would rest with an Arbitration Tribunal appointed by the United Nations.”
8. “Control over transfers of land, including the power to amend the existing land transfers regulations would be conferred on the local authorities.”
9. “The High Commissioner would continue to exercise supreme legislative and executive authority. He would, however, endeavor to form an advisory council so composed as to include representatives, not only of the Arab and Jewish local administrations, but also of labour, cultural and other organised interests. Despite this composition, it is probable that voting in the Advisory Council would tend first to follow communal lines. Since, however, the functions of the council would be advisory and not legislative, the High Commissioner would be required to give due attention to the views of minorities. On the conclusion of the Trusteeship Agreement the Jewish members of the Advisory Council would supersede the Jewish Agency for Palestine as the official channel of communication between the Jewish community and the High Commissioner.
“During the period of trusteeship, the High Commissioner would introduce Palestinians into his executive council, and would progressively increase the proportion of Palestinian members in that council”.
10. At the end of four years, a constituent assembly would be elected. [Page 1035] If the majority of its Jewish members and the majority of its Arab members failed to reach agreement on the terms of a constitution, the trusteeship council would be asked to advise on the next move.
11. The object of the administering authority during the five years of trusteeship would be to prepare Palestine for independence. His Majesty’s Government are not prepared to continue indefinitely to govern Palestine themselves merely because Jews and Arabs cannot agree upon the means of sharing its government between them. They have therefore devised a plan which should give the two peoples an opportunity of demonstrating their ability to work together for the good of Palestine as a whole and so providing a stable foundation for an independent state.2
- There is no indication of the date this communication was received in the Department.↩
- For the text of “The Proposals submitted by the British Delegation to the Palestine Conference On 7th February, 1947, and also Communicated to Representatives of the Jewish Agency”, see British Cmd. 7044, Palestine No. 1 (1947), P. 11.↩