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Embassy Gives U.S. Views to Britain

October 16, 1938
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The views of the United States Government regarding anticipated moves of the British Government on Palestine’s future status have been made known to the Foreign Office by the American Embassy, it was learned today.

These views were understood to be: (1) The United States, although not a member of the League of Nations, is entitled, under the Anglo-American Convention on Palestine of 1924, to be consulted regarding any changes in the mandate before they are carried out, and the United States Government is interested in such changes prior to their being carried out. (2) The United States Government is especially interested now in Palestine from the humanitarian point of view as a country able to absorb Jewish refugees.

The American Embassy is keeping in close touch with the British Government regarding the Palestine problem. The French, Polish and Rumanian Embassies are also closely watching the situation. Polish Ambassador Count. Edward Raczynski made official inquiry at the Foreign Office today on Britain’s Palestine policy, pointing out the deep anxiety of Polish Jewry on the future of Jewish immigration to Palestine.

The Colonial Office, in a statement to the J.T.A., denied as “fantastic and absolutely untrue” that the Colonial Office had decided upon a two-year suspension of Jewish immigration to appease the Arabs, as was reported to have been announced by Foreign Minister Tewfik es-Suwaidy of Iraq in a communication to Arab leaders in Cairo.

Zionist circles here expressed great satisfaction with the movement in America against curtailment of the Jewish homeland, which is finding a considerable echo in leading London newspapers. However, all Zionist leaders are looking forward to the meeting of the British Cabinet next Wednesday when Colonial Secretary Malcolm MacDonald is expected to report on Palestine. It was learned that Dr. Chaim Weizmann, president of the Jewish Agency, is seeking to see Mr. MacDonald before the Cabinet meeting.

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