'File 8/15 Arab Series - 1933-1939' [‎102r] (203/434)

Enclosure 2 to S. No. (53).
Letter from His Majesty’s Charge d’affaires, Jedda, to His Excel
lency the Hugh Commissioner for Palestine, No. 861/282/9 dated
the 4th April 1935.
With reference to my despatch No. 819/282/5 of March 29th last, re-
garding the remarks about Palestine, which Ibn Saud made during an
interview granted to journalists after the recent attempt on his life, I have
the honour to inform Your Excellency that my attention has been drawn to
the fact that a pamphlet, produced by the Association for the protection of
“A1 Masjid-ul-Aqsa” and the Holy Places in Jerusalem and dated the 15th
Dhu’l Qa’da, 1353 (February 19th), has been distributed in Mecca during
the pilgrimage. I presume that this pamphlet has already been brought
to Your Excellency’s notice but it may be useful to indicate the general
nature of its contents, if only for purposes of identification.
2. The pamphlet begins, after the usual invocation, with a glorifica
tion of the Mosque of Omar and declares that the Arabs of Palestine, who
have been appointed by God as guardians of this shrine, feel it their duty
to appeal to the Moslems of the whole world and warn them of the danger
to the sanctuary and the country from the Jews. The latter, having been
promised a national home in Palestine, have openly proclaimed their inten
tion of seizing the Mosque of Omar, which they allege is “the Jewish
temple’ ’.
3. Then follow various pronouncements by the Jewish leaders and
instances of propaganda by newspaper and by picture. The growing
menace to the Arabs of the acquisition of land by Jews, the increase of the
Jewish population and the steady flow of immigrants from all parts of the
world is emphasised.
4. The Moslem counter-eflorts are related, including a large meeting
in the Mosque of Omar which resulted in the issue of a “Fatwa” forbidding
the sale of land to Jews and enjoining the boycott of all who participate
in such sales. This “Fatwa” was confirmed by Ulama in Egypt, Iraq,
India, Morocco and other countries.
5. The pamphlet ends with an appeal foi general Moslem co-operation
to avert the danger. The Jews all over the world are working for the
establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine and the Arabs of Palestine
are not able to fight them unaided. If all Moslems unite to preserve the
mosque and the holy land their object will, with the help of God, be
achieved.
6. I am sending copies of this despatch to His Majesty’s Principal
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
i i •
(54)
1
{Received on IJ^th September 1935 with Political Secretary’s letter No. 35,
dated 29th August 1635.)
(Enclosure in Foreign Office, covering note, dated 12th August 1935.)
Letter from the Foreign Office, to Lord Castlestewart, No. P. Z.-
5596/35, dated the 13th August 1935.
In Mr. RendeFs absence on leave, I write to inform you that we have
now had a reply from our Charge d’Affaires, at Jedda to the telegram which
we sent at your request to enquire the present position about the exchange
rate of silver riyals.