March, 1937 King Abdullah of Jordan To the Peel Commission

High Commissioner for Trans-Jordan, Jerusalem

Secret, Reference No. TC/12/37

Sir,

I have the honour to transmit herewith, for your information, a translation of a memorandum which His Highness the Amir Abdullah handed to the Chairman of the Palestine Royal Commission on the occasion of the Commission’s visit to Amman.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient,

humble servant,

1. Halhorn Hall.

Acting High Commissioner for Trans-Jordan

The Right Honourable

W.G.A. Ormsby-Gore, P.C., M.P.,

His Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies.

 

To The Honourable Royal Commission in Palestine.

Furthermore, the Arabs believe that the Balfour Declaration has been fulfilled in Palestine as the Jews have already their own towns and villages as well as their language and a great number of officials in the various Government Departments.  To exceed this means making Palestine all-Jewish and not making a National Home in it for the Jews.  Therefore, no Arab, no matter how reasonable and moderate he may be and no matter how far he participates with those who support the Balfour Declaration in their sympathy towards the Jews, can but advise that a “halt” should be called and that not one step further should be attempted.

During the World War and afterwards the Arabs proved that they were loyal friends to Great Britain.  The later vicissitudes have increased their belief in this and their loyalty to the British Empire has become a traditional and firm policy in their Kingdom of Iraq, their Emirate in Trans-Jordan, the Kingdoms of Arabia and the Yemen as well as in all other Emirates; Koweit, Bahrein, Omman and other Arab Chieftainships.  On the Mediterranean and Red Sea littorals, surrounded as they are by millions of the Islamic world they look up to Great Britain with reliance and confidence; they believe that this Empire would not lose all these relations by sacrificing Palestine to the Jews, who have already attained their desire by establishing a National Home in Palestine in the shortest possible time, and thus open a deep wound in the breasts of both the Arab and Moslem Worlds.  In doing so Great Britain would be tampering with the Moslem’s sensitive nerve.  As to the possible danger to Great Britain’s interests from Jewish power and Jewish deceits there is no better proof against such sophistry than the fact that the Jews have not been able to take any effective step against any other nation which has ejected them from its country and is still scattering them all over the world.  Imperial interests are beyond being affected by them and the proof is apparent everywhere.  When however the Arabs refer to Imperial interests, they include themselves as well since they are tied to the British Empire by firm bonds and they stand, in accordance with alliance, geographical position and mutual interests, with the Empire in this world, which is full of anxiety and unrest, on the verge of either life or death.  As for me I will continue to work for the maintenance of the friendly relations between Great Britain and the Arab and Moslem world as I desire them to be, and as they should be; firm, loyal and free from every blemish.  I call upon the Arabs to safeguard these relations and in doing so I do not exclude their friends, the British, from my appeal.

Source: Palestine Royal (Peel) Commission of Inquire; Testimony of King Abdullah of Trans-Jordan Cmd. 5479** (have in PDF)