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Coll 6/43 'Pan Arab Congress 1933. Attitude of H.M.G. to a Pan Arab Movement' [138v] (277/1144)
The record is made up of 1 file (570 folios). It was created in 21 Dec 1932-5 Mar 1948. It was written in English and French. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
6
7
to understand that the best prospect for the future of the Jewish National Home
lies in a genuine endeavour to come to terms with the Arabs within the Iramewo
nf n sphpmp of federation.
15. The formation of a joint Arab-Jewish State was the solution
contemplated by the White Paper'of 1939 (Cmd. 6019). There is an alternative
solution, viz., that based on the establishment of a distinctively Jewish State*
in a part of Palestine. Unfortunately it cannot be supposed that such a reversion
to the partition proposals of 1937 would ever be acceptable to the Arabs. 1 he
latter would never agree to allow the Zionists unrestricted control of Jewish
immigration. Nor is it conceivable that a Jewish State, confined within a part
of Palestine, and exercising only restricted control over its own immigration,
would be accepted by the Jews.
16. Our general conclusion is that, while it might be possible to find a
solution of the Palestine problem within the scope of a federal scheme, there
is no great likelihood that any scheme for political federation which would include
Palestine could be successfully launched unless the Arabs and the Jews in
Palestine had acquired a greater readiness for compromise and collaboration than
exists at present.
17. Our recommendations regarding further action may be summarised as
follows :—
(«) Economic co-operation. —‘British representatives in the Middle East
should be invited to draw up a scheme for closer economic co-opera
tion, and removal of economic barriers, between Syria, the Lebanon,
Palestine and Trans-Jordan. If their recommendations are approved,
they should be put to the Free French, and an endeavour should be
made to bring them into force.
(b) Cultural co-operation. —Uis Majesty’s representatives should be invited
to consider what non-political cultural contacts between the Arab
States are deserving of encouragement.
(c) No objection should be raised to the extension of the “ Treaty of Arab
Brotherhood ” by the adherence of other independent Arab States,
such as Syria and the Lebanon; and. indeed, encouragement might be
given to such a proposal if it were initiated by the parties concerned.
(d) A study could, if necessary, be made of our post-war strategic require
ments in the Arab States, and of the means by which they can best
be reconciled with French rights, with the aspirations of the Jews and
Arabs, and with our existing obligations. It will, however, be realised
that such a study cannot, at this stage, lie other than of a very
general nature.
Signed on behalf of the Committee :
J. E. SHUCKBURGH, Chairman.
Great George Street, S.W. 1.
January 9, 1942.
About this item
- Content
This file concerns the British Government's response to the Pan-Arab movement during the 1930s and 1940s. Much of the correspondence refers to the prospect of an Arab federation, although the use of the word 'federation' is noted in some of the correspondence as being a mistranslation of the original Arabic expression, which would be more accurately represented by the words 'unification' or 'unity'.
Significant subjects of discussion include:
- Arab party politics in Palestine.
- Iraqi-Egyptian relations.
- Italian propaganda in the Middle East.
- The future of Palestine.
- Britain's post-war policy in the Middle East.
- Whether the Arab states should be induced to make a wartime declaration in favour of the democracies (i.e. the Allies).
- The formation of the Arab League (also referred to as the Arab Federation in the correspondence).
- Details of the Pact (also referred to as Covenant) of the Arab League, signed in Cairo on 22 March 1945.
- Whether representatives of the Arab League should be present at the Palestine Conference in London, in 1947, in addition to representatives of Arab states.
Notable correspondents include the following: the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ; the High Commissioner for Iraq; His Majesty's Ambassador in Baghdad; the High Commissioner for Egypt; His Majesty's Ambassador in Cairo; the High Commissioner for Palestine; His Majesty's Minister at Jedda; the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; the Minister of State in the Middle East; officials of the Foreign Office, the Colonial Office, the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. , the Commonwealth Relations Office, and the Indian Political Service The branch of the British Government of India with responsibility for managing political relations between British-ruled India and its surrounding states, and by extension the Gulf, during the period 1937-47. 's External Affairs Department; Noury Said [Nūrī al-Sa‘īd], Prime Minister of Iraq; George Antonius, Lebanese-Egyptian author and diplomat.
Also included with the correspondence are the following:
- Extracts from Palestine police summaries dating from 1933 to 1936, produced by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Jerusalem.
- A printed copy of a paper on Arab federation by the Foreign Research and Press Service, dated 20 June 1941.
- Copies of documents produced by the War Cabinet's Standing Official Sub-Committee for Questions Concerning the Middle East (also referred to as the Middle East (Official) Committee), including minutes of meetings (1941-1942) and a copy of a report on Arab Federation, dated January 1942.
- A copy (in French) of the Protocol of the Preparatory Committee for the Arab Congress, dated 7 October 1944.
- Copies of the Pact/Covenant of the recently formed Arab League (consisting of a printed copy in French, distributed by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and an English translation of the full Arabic text, which includes a passage that was omitted from the French version).
The French material consists of the aforementioned Protocol and Arab League Pact, plus one item of correspondence and a copy of a newspaper extract.
The file includes two dividers which give a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. These are placed at the back of the correspondence (folios 2-3).
- Extent and format
- 1 file (570 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 571; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. Two previous foliation sequences, which are also circled, have been superseded and therefore crossed out.
- Written in
- English and French in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Coll 6/43 'Pan Arab Congress 1933. Attitude of H.M.G. to a Pan Arab Movement' [138v] (277/1144), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2110, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100047229910.0x000050> [accessed 14 July 2026]
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- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/2110
- Title
- Coll 6/43 'Pan Arab Congress 1933. Attitude of H.M.G. to a Pan Arab Movement'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:6v, 9r:24v, 27r:59v, 61r:62v, 73r:78v, 82r:93v, 95r:103v, 105r:106v, 111r:111v, 113r:115v, 118r:120v, 122r:132v, 134r:152v, 158r:199v, 201r:265v, 273r:354v, 356r:381v, 384r:394v, 398r:407v, 410r:516v, 518r:565v, 567r:571v, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence