Palestine Problem Believed to Have Been Discussed by Roosevelt with Arab Rulers

The belief that President Roosevelt touched upon the Palestine problem during his conferences in Cairo with king Ibn Saud of Saudi-Arabia and King Farouk of Egypt, which were held on his return journey from the “Big Three” conference at Yalta, was expressed here today following the announcement in Washington of the President’s meeting with the Arab rulers.

King Ibn Saud traveled more than 800 miles from the Red Sea port of Jidda to meet President Roosevelt. This was the first time he had left his country’s soil. His entourage included 48 persons. It was understood here today that President Roosevelt also conferred for hours with Prime Minister Churchill in Alexandria on matters concerning Middle Eastern problems.

London newspapers, reporting that Churchill also conferred in Egypt with King Farouk and King Ibn-Saud, as well as with the President of the Syrian Republic, said that the announcement of these conferences was issued “amid persistent rumors that Britain was taking the initiative in a move to solve various Middle-Eastern problems through the formation of a single Arab state and the establishment of a separate Jewish state comprising most of Palestine.”

It was assumed in British circles here that both President Roosevelt and Premier Churchill were kept advised, during their visit in Egypt, of the progress made by the conference of representatives of Arab countries now being held in Cairo to draft a constitution of the projected Arab League, and were informed of the attitude of this conference towards the Arab-Jewish problem in Palestine. Zionist leaders here termed “nonsense” a report that a plan for the Middle East has been prepared which provides for the partitioning of Palestine. At the same time, some Jewish leaders here indicated that the report may not be entirely without foundation.