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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?


To: Hawkmoon who wrote (17435)1/28/2002 3:06:40 PM
From: Ilaine  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 281500
 
>>the original intention of the British Mandate for the territory"

Here is what the British said about their intentions:

"It has been urged that the expression "a national home for the Jewish people" offered a prospect
that Palestine might in due course become a Jewish State or Commonwealth. His Majesty's
Government do not wish to contest the view, which was expressed by the Royal Commission,
that the Zionist leaders at the time of the issue of the Balfour Declaration recognised that an
ultimate Jewish State was not precluded by the terms of the Declaration. But, with the Royal
Commission, His Majesty's Government believe that the framers of the Mandate in which the
Balfour Declaration was embodied could not have intended that Palestine should be converted
into a Jewish State against the will of the Arab population of the country. That Palestine was not
to be converted into a Jewish State might be held to be implied in the passage from the Command
Paper of 1922 which reads as follows

"Unauthorized statements have been made to the effect that the purpose in view is to create a
wholly Jewish Palestine. Phrases have been used such as that `Palestine is to become as Jewish as
England is English.' His Majesty's Government regard any such expectation as impracticable and
have no such aim in view. Nor have they at any time contemplated .... the disappearance or the
subordination of the Arabic population, language or culture in Palestine. They would draw
attention to the fact that the terms of the (Balfour) Declaration referred to do not contemplate that
Palestine as a whole should be converted into a Jewish National Home, but that such a Home
should be founded IN PALESTINE."

But this statement has not removed doubts, and His Majesty's Government therefore now declare
unequivocally that it is not part of their policy that Palestine should become a Jewish State. They
would indeed regard it as contrary to their obligations to the Arabs under the Mandate, as well as
to the assurances which have been given to the Arab people in the past, that the Arab population
of Palestine should be made the subjects of a Jewish State against their will. "

More at:
us-israel.org

Nadine referred to this paper earlier - she alleges that it was motivated by the British desire for Arab oil.
Message 16969708