PREMIER MUSSOLINI IS ABOUT TO DENOUNCE THE PALESTINE MANDATE AND SUPPORT KING IBN SAUD OF SAUDI ARABIA WHO WILL PROCLAIM HIMSELF KING OF ALL ARABS, ACCORDING TO A SENSATIONAL REPORT PUBLISHED TODAY BY A PRIVATE NEWS AGENCY.
THE AGENCY ASSERTS THE BRITISH COLONIAL OFFICE HAS BEEN THROWN INTO A PANIC AT WHAT IT DESCRIBES AS “UNIMPEACHABLE INFORMATION” ON THE ITALIAN DICTATOR’S INTENTIONS. THE AGENCY’S REPORT WAS PUBLISHED IN ITS WEEKLY BULLETIN ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS, KNOWN AS “THE WEEK,” A PRIVATELY CIRCULATED, MIMEOGRAPHED PUBLICATION. IT WAS REPRODUCED BY LE JOUR, CONSERVATIVE PARIS MORNING NEWSPAPER.
“MUSSOLINI,” THE REPORT STATES, “IS ABOUT TO DENOUNCE THE PALESTINE MANDATE AND AT A STROKE THROW THE BRITISH POSITIONS IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN INTO AS UNEASY A MESS AS THEY ARE ALREADY IN THE WEST, AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT IBN SAUD WILL, BY ARRANGEMENT WITH ROME, PROCLAIM HIMSELF KING OF ALL THE ARABS, THUS STARTING A FIRE THAT WILL BLAZE FROM BAGHDAD TO CASABLANCA.”
ACCORDING TO LE JOUR, THE STORY WAS INSPIRED FROM ROME, “NOT AS A KITE TO TEST THE WIND, BUT AS NOTICE OF AN ACTION ALREADY DECIDED UPON.”
THE NEWSPAPER REPORTS FURTHER THAT NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN ROME AND IBN SAUD ON THE EXTENT OF ITALIAN AID HAVE GONE AS FAR AS TO CONSIDER THE AVAILABILITY OF LIGHT MACHINE GUNS FOR THE ARAB FORCES. IT ADDS THAT HIGH OFFICIALS OF THE COLONIAL OFFICE ARE CONSULTING WITH THE ADMIRALTY ON THE PROSPECTS OF WAR AT BOTH ENDS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
