تقارير وأوراق للجنة الإدارة المصرية [و‎‎٤‎٨] (١٠٨/٩٥)

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and that a Zionist population of Palestine means a G-ermanised
Palestine.
So much for the opinions I have formed, put as shortly
as I can, cut here in Egypt. And new I want to draw the
Cabinet’s attention, if I may, to a reconstruction problem
arising out of these matters. Vie have now declared a Protect
orate over Egypt, and this is likely to be permanent. It would
perhaps be impertinent for me to say that I am perfectly con
vinced, from what I have heard and seen, that we were right to
choose a Protectorate rather than annexation, and that having
started on a Protectorate our good faith is involved in
sticking to a Protectorate and dismissing ideas of annexation
altogether from our minds. I believed it helped us, vie-a*vis
Eahommedan opinion, very much that we did not interfere with
the Kahommedan facade. I believe it would have been fatal,
having decided on a Protectorate, having thereby induced the
family of Mahomet Ali and the public rnen of Egypt to take part
in our new form of Government, to have decided on annexation
after the death of the first Sultan. That is the first factor.
The second factor is this. Whatever is the future of
Arabia, and whatever is the future exactly of Mesopotamia, and
whatever is indeed the future of Persia we shall find ourselves
with large Mahommedan interests of great Imperial importance
stretching right from India to the Western boundaries of
Egypt. I myself am not of opinion that our relationship with
the French in these areas will be very difficult; our
negotiations have so far gone bo smoothly that no difficulty
need be anticipated there; but the Italians will present, in
a growing degree, difficult problems of diplomacy. They have
been very troublesome; they are hardly on speaking terms with
the French in many parts of Egypt; they are jealous of their
rights; crooked in their methods; suspicious of motives.
Whether it is with the Genousi in Abyssinia, in Somaliland
or in the Yemen the Italians are going to be very difficult.