Mandate for Palestine: Letter from Secretary to the Cabinet to Secretary General of League of Nations of July 1, 1922, Cmd. 1708 – 1922.

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This is a note from the British Government in reply to certain criticisms of the draft Mandate by the Cardinal Secretary of State, Cardinal Gasparri. In this note, the British Government refer to “the charge which has been laid upon them by the Pricipal Allied Powers,” clearly meaning that of “establishing in Palestine a national home for the Jewish people.” This document was one of the texts cited by the Jewish Agency as illustrating the British Government’s acceptance of the view that the key to the Mandate was to be found in the Balfour Declaration.

Excerpt

“The immigration of Jews and their close settlement upon the land, including State lands and waste lands not required for public purposes, are integral and indispensable factors in the execution of the charge laid upon the mandatory of establishing in Palestine a national home for the Jewish people. Article 6 of the draft mandate, which provides for these measures…expressly reaffirms that the rights and position of other sections of the population must not thereby be prejudiced.” p. 4