March 6, 1940 Mr. Ramsay MacDonald

“I CANNOT SPEAK AS AN ARAB, NOR CAN I SPEAK FOR THE ARABS, BUT AS A MEMBER OF THIS HOUSE I DO FEEL I HAVE A DUTY IMPOSED ON ME, AND THEREFORE I AM A TRUSTEE, NOT ONLY FOR THE JEWS, BUT FOR 90,000,000 MOSLEMS UNDER THE BRITISH FLAG WHO AT THIS TIME ARE ALL WATCHING THE SITUATION VERY ANXIOUSLY. It is my duty to try to hold the scales equally and to do what I think is right and consistent with British honour and security.”

“IF THERE WAS TROUBLE IN PALESTINE AGAIN THERE WOULD BE REPERCUSSIONS IN TRANSJORDANIA, IRAQ, SAUDI ARABIA, AND EGYPT AND EVEN ECHOES OF THAT TROUBLE IN INDIA. One had better be frank about these things; the House know that this is perfectly true. I say I would justify these Land Regulations on two grounds. In the first place, by all the evidence of the series of inquiries they are essential if we are to carry out the Mandate and, therefore, they are morally right. I do not think it weakens the argument for taking this action if it is held to be expedient politically now to do it. In the second place I would justify them because we are at a moment of supreme crisis and are engaged in a struggle for the defense and liberties, not only of ourselves, but of small peoples, including the freedom of the Jews from cruel and vile oppression”

“They know that the last five commissions of inquiry have told His Majesty’s Government that they ought to introduce Regulations for the control of land sales. In the last White Paper (e.g. May 1939) His Majesty’s Government promised to introduce these Regulations, and the Arabs have kept quiet because they were confident that the promise would be carried out. They know well that they would have to wait for some months, and that it would take some time to prepare these complicated Regulations, with the careful drawing of boundaries between one zone and another, but they were confident that his Majesty’s Government would act under Article 6 of the mandate and issue these Regulations affecting them. Because of that confidence they have been more peaceful and more disposed in war time to operate with the Jewish community and His Majesty’s Government, and to offer their services to us in the prosecution of the war. If we now destroy that confidence, the whole mood of the Arab population in Palestine might well change.”

Source: Parliamentary Debates, House of Commons Official Report. Volume 358. No. 35.