مجموعة ٦/ ٩ "تقارير جدة يناير ١٩٣١ -" [و‎‎١‎٤] (٨٠٢/٢٨)

THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTIT’OT
1 *P'« 8 tiTANN.JC
MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT
* • JLA -
EASTERN (Arabia).
CONFIDENTIAL.
1938
November 29, 1937.
Section 1.
[E 7045/580/25] Copy No.
Mr. Trott to Mr. Eden.—(Received November 29.)
(No. 165. Confidential.)
Sir, Jedda, November 6, 1937.
I HAVE the honour to submit herewith the Jedda report for October 1937.
2. Copies have been distributed as in the list in paragraph 67.
I have, &c.
A. C. TROTT.
Enclosure.
Jedda Report for October 1937.
I .—Internal A ffairs.
378. The Ring was reported at Rimah, hunting, in the middle of October.
Apart from that interlude, he seems to have spent the month at Riyadh, attended
by Fuad Hamza. Certain tribesmen visited the capital in accordance with the
usual practice, in order to collect their subsidies from the King. Sheikh Yusuf
Yasin visited Damascus in October, and on the 28th October left Damascus for
Bagdad; according to an unconfirmed report, he was drowned in the Damascus
floods on the way. The lack of confirmation of this rumour probably indicates
that it emanates from one of his many enemies.
379. Practically nothing has been said in the local press on Palestine. The
vested interests connected with the pilgrimage are much too busy spreading
propaganda designed to show how admirable are the arrangements for pilgrims
to devote their time to arguments about the Palestine Arabs. They know well
that trouble in neighbouring countries means fewer pilgrims.
380. Information from the office of the High Commissioner for Palestine
states that on the 1st October certain notables of Gaza addressed a telegram to
Kings Ibn Saud, Ghazi and Farouk. saying that His Majesty’s Government was
pursuing an oppressive policy of terrorism; the president of the Supreme Moslem
Council had been deprived of his offices and many persons arrested. ‘ k Your sons
the inhabitants of Palestine appeal to your Majesty to rescue them from these
oppressions. History will record what the Arab Kings will do in this decisive
hour to rescue the Arabs of Palestine.” Ibn Saud does not appear to have made
any reply, and no reference to this appeal appeared in the local press.
381. The King seems to have spoken with a double voice on the question of
Palestine. His Majesty’s Government explained to him through two channels
the reasons for the recent action taken by the Palestine Government in the
interests of good government and public order. One channel was a note addressed
to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The other channel was an oral communica
tion on the same lines made to Sheikh Hafez Wahba by Mr. Rendel at the
Foreign Office on the 5th October. His Royal Highness the Minister for Foreign
Affairs replied on the 13th October in very mild terms; the Amir Faisal hoped
that His Majesty’s Government would succeed in finding the best solution for the
establishment of public order and peace in a form which maintains the prestige
of Government and secures the interests of the natives of the country. ...” It
is almost inconceivable that the King did not approve and sanction this reply.
But on the previous morning the Saudi Minister called on Mr. Rendel and spoke
to him in very different terms: ‘‘the King felt strongly that in arresting these
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