'File 11/32 Royal Commission on Palestine' [‎66r] (131/308)

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retention by the Arabs of the right to complete independence
in their own land, which they described as the whole of
Palestine; second, the cessation (whatever that meant) of the
experiment of the Jewish National Home; third, the cessation
of the British mandate and its replacement by a treaty similar
to those existing between the United Kingdom and Iraq, the
United Kingdom and Egypt, and France and Syria, constitut
ing Palestine a sovereign State; and, fourth, the immediate
cessation of all Jewish immigration and of land sales to Jews
pending the conclusion of the treaty. That solution, Mr.
4 ^)rmsby Gore wished to say, quite frankly, was unacceptable
lO the United Kingdom Government if it were for the whole
of Palestine.” (Minutes, p. 191.)
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I take it that the basic principle of any partition scheme
would be to leave as few Jews as possible in the Arab State;
indeed, even under the proposals of the Royal Commission, that
seems to be the main basis upon which it has acted, and would, I
believe, be the only possible basis on which a frontier could
be drawn. But, however you draw that frontier, it is inevitable
that there will be a large Arab minority in the Jewish State,
and it is therefore politically wise, and indeed necessary, that
special provisions should be made for the legitimate safeguard
ing of the interests of that minority. And again, on the other
side, though an appreciable number of the Christians will be in
the proposed British mandatory enclave, there will be, in the
proposed Arab State, however you draw that frontier, a con
siderable number of Christians.” (Minutes, p. 37.)
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“ Therefore, I grant that provisions for safeguarding minori
ties will have to be made over and above the ordinary pro
visions which are made in the ordinary minorities treaties
•Crating under League auspices in many countries in
Europe. ... I see no reason why, in the case of Palestine, we
^^should be strictly limited to the kind of procedure which
operates in those European States.” (Minutes, p. 37.)
4. Permanent Mandates Commission.
The Report of the Permanent Mandates Commission to the
Council of the League on the work of its Thirty-second (Extra
ordinary) Session contains the following conclusions: —
“ The Commission therefore considers that it is worth con
tinuing the examination of the advantages and drawbacks of a
new territorial solution. It appears quite natural and legiti
mate that the mandatory Power, rightly anxious to give satis
faction to the conflicting aspirations of Arabs and Jews in
Palestine, and having failed to do so by the institution of a