Message to the King of Saudi Arabia Concerning
Palestine
(October 28, 1946)
Your Majesty:
I have just received the letter with regard to Palestine
which Your Majesty was good enough to transmit to me through the Saudi
Arabian Legation under date of October 15, 1946, and have given careful
consideration to the views expressed therein.
I am particularly appreciative of the frank manner
in which you expressed yourself in your letter. Your frankness is entirely
in keeping with the friendly relations which have long existed between
our two countries, and with the personal friendship between Your Majesty
and my distinguished predecessor; a friendship which I hope to retain
and strengthen. It is precisely the cordial relations between our countries
and Your Majesty's own friendly attitude which encourages me to invite
your attention to some of the considerations which have prompted this
Government to follow the course it has been pursuing with respect to
the matter of Palestine and of the displaced Jews in Europe.
I feel certain that Your Majesty will readily agree
that the tragic situation of the surviving victims of Nazi persecution
in Europe presents a problem of such magnitude and poignancy that it
cannot be ignored by people of good will or humanitarian instincts.
This problem is worldwide. It seems to me that all of us have a common
responsibility for working out a solution which would permit those unfortunates
who must leave Europe to find new homes where they may dwell in peace
and security.
Among the survivors in the displaced persons centers
in Europe are numbers of Jews, whose plight is particularly tragic inasmuch
as they represent the pitiful remnants of millions who were deliberately
selected by the Nazi leaders for annihilation. Many of these persons
look to Palestine as a haven where they hope among people of their own
faith to find refuge, to begin to lead peaceful and useful lives, and
to assist in the further development of the Jewish National Home.
The Government and people of the United States have
given support to the concept of a Jewish National Home in Palestine
ever since the termination of the first World War, which resulted in
the freeing of a large area of the Near East, including Palestine, and
the establishment of a number of independent states which are now members
of the United Nations. The United States, which contributed its blood
and resources to the winning of that war, could not divest itself of
a certain responsibility for the manner in which the freed territories
were disposed of, or for the fate of the peoples liberated at that time.
It took the position, to which it still adheres, that these peoples
should be prepared for self-government and also that a national home
for the Jewish people should be established in Palestine. I am happy
to note that most of the liberated peoples are now citizens of independent
countries. The Jewish National Home, however, has not as yet been fully
developed.
It is only natural, therefore, that this Government
should favor at this time the entry into Palestine of considerable numbers
of displaced Jews in Europe, not only that they may find shelter there,
but also that they may contribute their talents and energies to the
upbuilding of the Jewish National Home.
It was entirely in keeping with the traditional policies
of this Government that over a year ago I began to correspond with the
Prime Minister of Great Britain in an effort to expedite the solving
of the urgent problem of the Jewish survivors in the displaced persons
camps by the transfer of a substantial number of them to Palestine.
It was my belief, to which I still adhere, and which is widely shared
by the people of this country, that nothing would contribute more effectively
to the alleviation of the plight of these Jewish survivors than the
authorization of the immediate entry of at least 100,000 of them to
Palestine. No decision with respect to this proposal has been reached,
but this Government is still hopeful that it may be possible to proceed
along the lines which I outlined to the Prime Minister.
At the same time there should, of course, be a concerted
effort to open the gates of other lands, including the United States,
to those unfortunate persons, who are now entering upon their second
winter of homelessness subsequent to the termination of hostilities.
I, for my part, have made it known that I am prepared to ask the Congress
of the United States, whose cooperation must be enlisted under our Constitution,
for special legislation admitting to this country additional numbers
of these persons, over and above the immigration quotas fixed by our
laws. This Government, moreover, has been actively exploring, in conjunction
with other governments, the possibilities of settlement in different
countries outside Europe for those displaced persons who are obliged
to emigrate from that continent. In this connection it has been most
heartening to us to note the statements of various Arab leaders as to
the willingness of their countries to share in this humanitarian project
by taking a certain number of these persons into their own lands.
I sincerely believe that it will prove possible to
arrive at a satisfactory settlement of the refugee problem along the
lines which I have mentioned above.
With regard to the possibility envisaged by Your Majesty
that force and violence may be used by Jews in aggressive schemes against
the neighboring Arab countries, I can assure you that this Government
stands opposed to aggression of any kind or to the employment of terrorism
for political purposes. I may add, moreover, that I am convinced that
responsible Jewish leaders do not contemplate a policy of aggression
against the Arab tries adjacent to Palestine.
I cannot agree with Your Majesty that my statement
of Oct. 4 is in any way inconsistent with the position taken in the
statement issued on my behalf on Aug. 16. In the latter statement the
hope was expressed that as a result of the proposed conversations between
the British Government and the Jewish and Arab representatives a fair
solution of the problem of Palestine could be found and immediate steps
could be taken to alleviate the situation of the displaced Jews in Europe.
Unfortunately, these hopes have not been realized. The conversations
between the British Government and the Arab representatives have, I
understand, been adjourned until December without a solution having
been found for the problem of Palestine or without any steps having
been taken to alleviate the situation of the displaced Jews in Europe.
In this situation it seemed incumbent upon me to state
as frankly as possible the urgency of the matter and my views both as
to the direction in which a solution based on reason and good will might
be reached and the immediate steps which should be taken. This I did
in my statement of October 4.
I am at a loss to understand why Your Majesty seems
to feel that this statement was in contradiction to previous promises
or statements made by this Government. It may be well to recall here
that in the past this Government, in outlining its attitude on Palestine,
has given assurances that it would not take any action which might prove
hostile to the Arab people, and also that in its view there should be
no decision with respect to the basic situation in Palestine without
prior consultation with both Arabs and Jews.
I do not consider that my urging of the admittance
of a considerable number of displaced Jews into Palestine or my statements
with regard to the solution of the problem of Palestine in any sense
represent an action hostile to the Arab people. My feelings with regard
to the Arabs when I made these statements were, and are at the present
time, of the most friendly character. I deplore any kind of conflict
between Arabs and Jews, and am convinced that if both peoples approach
the problems before them in a spirit of conciliation and moderation
these problems can be solved to the lasting benefit of all concerned.
I furthermore do not feel that my statements in any
way represent a failure on the part of this Government to live up to
its assurance that in its view there should be no decision with respect
to the basic situation in Palestine without consultation with both Arabs
and Jews. During the current year there have been a number of consultations
with both Arabs and Jews.
Mindful of the great interest which your country, as
well as my own, has in the settlement of the various matters which I
have set forth above, I take this opportunity to express my earnest
hope that Your Majesty, who occupies a position of such eminence in
the Arab world, will use the great influence which you possess to assist
in the finding in the immediate future of a just and lasting solution.
I am anxious to do all that I can to aid in the matter and I can assure
Your Majesty that the Government and people of the United States are
continuing to be solicitous of the interests and welfare of the Arabs
upon whose historic friendship they place great value.
I also take this occasion to convey to Your Majesty
my warm personal greetings and my best wishes for the continued health
and welfare of Your Majesty and your people.
Very sincerely yours,
HARRY S. TRUMAN
Sources: Public Papers of the President |