The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs informed the War Cabinet that the Chief Rabbi had written to the Prime Minister to suggest that His Majesty's Government should declare all Jews in enemy territory to be British-protected persons. The difficulties in accepting any such proposal were, in the judgment of the Foreign Office, insuperable. Nor was there any reason to think that its acceptance would in any way improve the position of the Jews. The Prime Minister had been anxious, however, that the War Cabinet should be aware of the position before a negative reply was sent to the Chief Rabbi.
The War Cabinet—
Agreed that a negative reply should be sent to the Chief Rabbi; and asked that a copy of the correspondence should thereafter be circulated for their information.
