'File 1/A/42 Palestine disturbances.'

Content

The file relates to the publication of the report of the Palestine Royal Commission, and British Government White Papers on Palestine, 1937-39; the reaction to them in Bahrain (and elsewhere in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ); the response of the King of Saudi Arabia [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd] (usually referred to in the papers as Ibn Saud) to British policy on Palestine; and fundraising in Bahrain for charitable causes in Palestine.

The principal correspondents are the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Bahrain; the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ; the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. Agent, Sharjah; the Adviser to the Government of Bahrain (Charles Dalrymple Belgrave); and senior officials of the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. and the Foreign Office.

The papers cover: approaches to the Ruler of Bahrain [Shaikh Ḥamad bin ‘Īsá Āl Khalīfah] by pro-Palestinian groups, and British advice that the Shaikh should ignore them, August-September 1936 (folios 5-13); the publication of the report of the Palestine Royal Commission (which proposed partition), May-August 1937 (folios 21-57), including the reaction of Ibn Saud (folios 31-32), the reaction in Bahrain, where the public was said to be 'not interested' (folio 35), distribution of Arabic copies of the report, (folios 41-44), and the reaction in the Gulf generally (folios 46-57); an appeal at Sharjah to the Muslims of the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. to help the Palestinians, November-December 1937 (folios 65-73); publication of the White Paper Policy in Palestine (cmd. 5634), January 1938 (folios 75-84); distribution of an Arabic translation of the White Paper, January-February 1938 (folios 85-90); texts of British Government official communiqués, January and November 1938, which rejected partition (folios 91-95 and 101-102); Arabic translation of the summary of the report of the Palestine Partition Commission, with two maps (B Plan of Partition, folio 119 and C Plan of Partition, folio 118), November 1938 (folios 108-120); report that there was no local reaction in Bahrain to the Commission's report, November 1938 (folio 130); correspondence between the British Government and Ibn Saud, January-May 1939 (folios 149-193); Foreign Office extracts from the forthcoming White Paper on Palestine, and explanatory letter from the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Bahrain to Ibn Saud, May 1939 (folios 194-214); correspondence concerning a fund for relief of distress in Palestine, May 1939 (folios 218-222); White Paper Palestine. Statement of Policy (cmd. 6019), which included sections on the constitution of Palestine, Jewish immigration, and transfers of land, May 1939 (folios 225-232); letter from Ibn Saud in response to British policy in Palestine, 21 May 1939 (folios 235-240); Arabic translation of the White Paper (folios 243-250); the reaction to the White Paper in Bahrain, June 1939 (folio 256); correspondence concerning charitable relief in Bahrain for Palestine, including correspondence between the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Bahrain, and Shaikh Abdullah bin Isa al Khalifah [‘Abdullāh bin ‘Īsá Āl Khalīfah], June-July 1939 (folios 257-271); and reaction to the White Paper on the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. (folio 272), and in Kuwait (folio 278).

The Arabic language content of the papers consists of approximately fifty folios. This is composed of correspondence (most with English translations), and copies of Arabic translations of official British Government publications.

The date range gives the covering dates of the correspondence; the last dated addition to the file is an entry in the notes in folio 318, dated 17 August 1939.

Extent and format

1 file (290 folios)

It is grouped into

'THE C PLAN OF PARTITION'

2 images

Ref: IOR/R/15/2/165, f 118

'THE B PLAN OF PARTITION'

2 images

Ref: IOR/R/15/2/165, f 119

Arrangement

The papers are arranged in chronological order from the front to the back of the file, except where enclosures of an earlier date are filed after their relevant covering letter, and terminate in a set of notes (folios 278-291). Circled serial numbers in red crayon refer to entries in the notes.

During cataloguing, it was discovered that 27 folios of file notes that were present between folios 277 and 278 formed a complete set of notes belonging to IOR/R/15/2/200 'File 4/7 Bahrain State - Education of younger members of the Al Khalifah'. These notes were transferred to IOR/R/15/2/200, and inserted after folio 219.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 292; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. Arabic booklets are numbered in reverse order and these numbers are located in the top left corner. An additional foliation sequence is also present in parallel between ff 4-277; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.

Written in

English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script

Type

Archival file

Access & Reference

Original held at

British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity.

Access conditions

Unrestricted

Archive reference

IOR/R/15/2/165

Former external reference(s)

Confidential files, 1932-50: 1/A/42

History of this record

Date(s)

2 Aug 1936-3 Aug 1939 (CE, Gregorian)

Context of creation

The Palestine Partition Commission of 1938 is also known as the Woodhead Commission.

Subjects

Foreign policyFundraisingTranslationsMandates

Places

Palestine

People & organisations

Adviser to the Government of BahrainNative Agent, Trucial Coast, SharjahKing of Saudi Arabia

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'File 1/A/42 Palestine disturbances.', British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/2/165, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/node/9512> [accessed 16 April 2024]

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