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Coll 6/43 'Pan Arab Congress 1933. Attitude of H.M.G. to a Pan Arab Movement' [‎252r] (504/1144)

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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. .

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(fc) The second advocates a union ol' a Jewish - wion
commonwealth of Palestine and the Arab State of Trans-Jordan
as a federal dominion under the British Gommonwealon*
(c) The third view is that, if Palestine is to he
insido a larger Arab union, then this Arab union oughls oo
concede a predominantly Jewish Palestine® j.ne edvoca «• «»
of this view however add that, if Palestine : ** 3 5J 8
outside the Arab union, then and then only would they
favour a bi-national Jewish-Arabic Palestine on terms ox
parity*
(d) The fourth view is that there should be a bi-nalional
Jewish—Arabic Palestine inside the Arab union*
10 o 1 know that Dr* Magnes, who represents a
courageous and sincere minority, prefers (d; for ne
recognises that the more ambitioue echemee are savoured by
extremists, and with reason fears that irretrievable damage
may be done by their prosecution* He wants earnestly
reach an Arsbio-Jewish understanding which would recognise
Israel’s indissoluble bond with Palestine arid her deep
need for Palestine and other Semitic lands for the
settlement of as many Jewish refugees ae is politically ana
economically possible 7 '* He remarks that "•‘■•‘y more ^
understanding there is between the Jewgang. the Arabs
^ijhc greater becomes the political and^aosorptive capacity
of Palestine and the neighbouring lands".
11* I would add that he advocates ti’/o initial steps.
(a) As to Arab union, that the High Commissioner
should appoint Palestine members to a .joint Commission
which would be formed from "representative citizens 1 of
the countries declaring for an Arab union® Thic
Commission should work out plan for the economic basis of
the union* This would be done forthwith and precede
political union (cf* the German Sollvereiru ;
(b> As to Palestine f that the High Commissioner
should appoint and be Chairman of a consultative body
representative of a3.1 sections cf the population o^.
Palestine to bring public opinion into close contact
the^adminiat ration in all matters connected with the
effort* If this were successful its scope could be
expanded gradual-vy to a wider Held*
*52* There are obviously many difficulties here
(especially under (a) if Jewish representatives specifically
approved) as well as *ome sound ideas* Comment upon the
practicability of suggestions in paragraph 11 is ^really
dependent on vihether H.M. G. is willing to proclaim At.s
intentions to stand by the policy of the Ychite raper m
its broader aspects*
with
war
13.
Gypian
finally, in order to illustrate the general
view of unification with Arabia, I would ask you to
read the 'speech made at Versailles in 1919 by the Chairman
of the National Syrian Committee, quoted oy Mr* IJ.oya George
on page 1050 of volume 3 of "The Truth about Peace Treaties”*

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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
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Coll 6/43 'Pan Arab Congress 1933. Attitude of H.M.G. to a Pan Arab Movement' [‎252r] (504/1144), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2110, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100047229911.0x00006b> [accessed 15 July 2026]

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