867N.48/8–1248
The Minister in Syria (Keeley) to the Secretary of State
No. 220
Subject: Transmitting Arab Higher Committee Note to Arab League on Refugee Situation.
Supplementing the Legation’s telegram No. 520, August 12, 1948,1 the Minister has the honor to transmit herewith a translation of the [Page 1308] text of a note concerning Palestinian refugees sent by the Arab Higher Committee (AHC) to the Secretary General of the Arab League.2
The AHC categorically rejects proposals that Arab refugees be returned to Jewish controlled areas, arguing that to do so would:
- 1.
- “Constitute a recognition of the imaginary Jewish state.”
- 2.
- Place the refugees at the mercy of the Jews as virtual hostages.
- 3.
- Permit the Jews to exploit the refugees in a political sense, possibly winning their votes in a likely plebiscite.
- 4.
- Place the refugees on the marginal fringe of the Jewish economy.
In addition to arguing against the return of the refugees to Palestine, the AHC presents its own suggestions for the solution of the refugee problem. In brief, these call for centralized handling of the situation, financial assistance from the Arab countries and the International Refugee Organization, dispatch of men “capable of carrying arms” to Palestine “in the defense of their country,” and the establishment of refugee camps in Arab parts of Palestine.
The tenor of the entire note reflects the irreconciled position of the AHC that the struggle against Zionism must continue unabated.
Although eventually published, it is worthy of note that this document was at first suppressed by the Syrian authorities. A reliable informant who saw the orginal AHC release states that the newspaper version used in preparing the Legation’s translation is complete and accurate except for the omission of an introductory paragraph of no great significance.