867N.01/11–2144: Airgram
The Minister in Egypt (Tuck) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 6—2 p.m.]
A–634. Reference Legation’s telegram no. 3534 of November 21, 8 a.m. Fuad Abaza Pasha called on me this morning bearing the Arabic text of the protest referred to in my above telegram. During [Page 639] the course of the conversation, it developed that for various reasons it had been decided not to send the telegram to the President, and one object of the visit appeared to be a hope of inducing the Legation to transmit it on his behalf. When I explained the impracticality of such a scheme, he gave me the Arabic text which reads in translation as follows:
“To the President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt, “The White House, Washington.
“1. The Arabs, who are anxious to maintain cordial relations with America, do not wish to attach great importance to certain declarations regarding Palestine which were made during the recent political campaign, for they realize, on the one hand, that these declarations were made in abnormal circumstances and they consider, on the other hand, that the declarations contradict the spirit of justice sponsored by you and by the noble American Nation, and are prejudicial to the cause of peace for which America is fighting. Moreover, they are contrary to the right of Arabs to live freely in their own country.
“The American political campaign is now over, and Arabs expect you, Mr. President, to dispel their fears, restore their faith in American justice, and draw closer the bonds of friendship planted by American schools and nurtured by American teachings and doctrines in the Middle East.
“2. No country in the world has suffered a greater injustice than Palestine. From time immemorial it has been an Arab country. Jews entered it as invaders and only occupied it for a short time; for they were constantly at war with the aborigines, and other invaders soon drove them out until the Arabs, more than thirteen centuries ago, finally liberated the country and settled it.
“3. Palestine is, by the will of God and the patriotism of its people, an Arab country and will forever remain so. Seventy million Arabs, supported by three hundred million Moslems, are determined to redeem it with their lives. Neither the Balfour Declaration, nor the declarations of statesmen and the power of Zionism employing various measures of force and coercion can change the course of history or dissuade Arabs from defending Palestine and checking the tide of Zionism.
“4. Arabs have always sympathized with Jews in their afflictions in past, mediaeval and modern times, and history bears witness to this fact. But Zionism has met this kindness by conspiring against Arabs and attempting to wrest Palestine from them. This has naturally led to feuds and bitter feelings which have left no hope of reconciliation or mutual understanding.
“5. The project of installing Jews in Palestine will undoubtedly lead to permanent conflicts which will not only come to an end by one people destroying the other, not only in Palestine but in the whole East as well. This fact is worthy of your attention and the attention of all those who are anxious to establish universal peace and tranquillity in the future.
“6. Arabs cannot believe that Democratic America is capable of helping usurpers, encouraging injustice, sacrificing her reputation, repudiating her mission in this world, discarding her friendship with [Page 640] the Arab world, and foregoing the moral and material interests which she has in Arab and Moslem countries, all for the sake of a race which is widely scattered in the world, and which only relies on the power of money for the realization of its designs.
“For the above reasons, Arabs meeting in Congress hope that you will uphold them in their own country and that Zionism will be given no support by you, your Government or your people.”
(Signed) The Arab Union Society,
Fouad
Abaza Pasha, President
Assad Dagher, Secretary
General.
The Young Men’s Moslem
Association,
Dr. Dardiri, Secretary
General.
Executive Committee of the
International Arab Parliamentary Union
Conference,
Mohamed Aly Allouba Pasha, President.
El-Ikhwan
Al-Muslimin,
Hassan El-Banna, President.
Moslem Sofie Sects,
Shaikh
El-Sayed Ahmed Al-Bakri, President.
Higher Committee for the Defense of
Palestine,
Haned El-Meligui Bey, Secretary General.
Repeated to Baghdad, Beirut, Damascus, Jerusalem and Jidda.