The Balfour Declaration: The Origins of the Arab-Israeli Conflict (73 page)

BOOK: The Balfour Declaration: The Origins of the Arab-Israeli Conflict
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  7.
 “the moment might …” Zaharoff to Caillard, June 29, 1916, and Caillard to Zaharoff, May 21, 1917, NA, Caillard Papers.

  8.
 “I am turning …” Zaharoff to Caillard, May 23, 1917, ibid.

  9.
 “was greatly interested …” Caillard to Zaharoff, May 31, 1917, ibid., file 7.

10.
 “The enclosed …” Zaharoff to Caillard, June 5, 1917, ibid.

11.
 “throwing out …” Caillard to Walter Long, June 11, 1917, ibid.

12.
 “considered it would be …” Caillard to Zaharoff, June 14, 1917, ibid.

13.
 He arrived on June 18 … “What a nest of spies Switzerland must be at this moment,” Sir Ronald Graham had just written to Britain’s man in Berne—neither of them knowing about Zaharoff’s mission. Graham to Rumbold, June 8, 1917, OUNBL, Rumbold Papers, box 22.

14.
 “Things had changed …” Zaharoff to Caillard, June 23, 1917, NA, Caillard Papers.

15.
 “Your people are to …” Zaharoff to Caillard, June 24, [1917], ibid.

16.
 “After some further …” Caillard to Zaharoff, June 27, 1917, ibid.

17.
 “eases my mind …” Zaharoff to Caillard, July 2, 1917, ibid.

18.
 “saluted me politely …” Zaharoff to Caillard, July 28, 1917, ibid.

19.
 “The fact is that …” Caillard to Zaharoff, August 17, 1917, ibid.

20.
 “I will be there …” Quoted in Caillard to Lloyd George, November 23, 1917, ibid.

CHAPTER 22: THE ASCENDANCY OF CHAIM WEIZMANN

  1.
 “is felt by the outside …” Weizmann, “Introduction,” in Sacher,
Zionism and Jewish Future
, 6–7; Gaster, “Judaism a National Religion,” ibid., 93.

  2.
 “the position of emancipated …” Wolf to Bigart, June 5, 1917, Conjoint Committee, Report no. 11, May 17, 1917–July 15, 1917, Yivo Institute, Lucien Wolf Papers.

  3.
 “How can a man …” Montefiore, “Englishman of Jewish Faith,” 823.

  4.
 “The Zionist wing …” Wolf, “Jewish National Movement.”

  5.
 “So long as this …” Wolf to Bigart, June 5, 1917, Conjoint Committee, Report no. 11, May 17, 1917–July 15, 1917, Yivo Institute, Wolf Papers.

  6.
 “the ‘campaign’ was …” Sokolow to Brandeis, April 7, 1917, OUNBL, Stein Papers, box 6.

  7.
 “As my sister-in-law will …” Walter Rothschild to Weizmann, April 10, 1917, WI.

  8.
 “I am afraid you …” Wolf to de Rothschild, January 3, 1917, CZA, A7732.

  9.
 “were exceedingly …” Wolf, memorandum, January 31, 1917, FO800/129, Balfour Miscellaneous.

10.
 “The Presidents of the …” Wolf to Oliphant, April 21, 1917, Conjoint Committee, Report no. 10, February 6, 1917–May 17, 1917, Yivo Institute, Wolf Papers.

11.
 a mollifying response … “I am authorized to inform you that no new agreement on the Palestine question has been concluded. His Majesty’s Government are sincerely anxious to act in all matters affecting the Jewish community not only in its best interests but with a due regard to the wishes and opinions of all its sections.” Graham to Wolf, April 27, 1917, ibid.

12.
 Wolf immediately endorsed … Wolf to Montefiore, May 11, 1917, ibid., microfilm reel 3.

13.
 As to whether Britain … Claude Montefiore, interview with Lord Milner, May 16, 1917, ibid., microfilm reel 7.

14.
 “I would beg of you …” Montefiore to Milner, May 17, 1917, CZA, A/7731.

15.
 “is an able, temperate …” Milner to Cecil, May 17, 1917, NA, FO800/198.

16.
 “Among the possible …” Milner to Samuel, January 17, 1917, Oxford University, St. Antony’s College, Middle East Centre, Samuel Papers, GB165-0252.

17.
 “I am entitled …” “English Zionist Federation. Meeting at Armfield’s Hotel … May 20, 1917,” NA, FO371/3053.

18.
 “to issue a public …” Conjoint Committee, Report no. 11, May 17, 1917–July 15, 1917, Yivo Institute, Wolf Papers.

19.
 
“the Zionist theory …” Wolf, “Conjoint Foreign Committee … Statement on the Palestine Question,” CZA, A/7731.

20.
 “his regret at …” Wolf to Montefiore, June 1, 1917, Yivo Institute, Wolf Papers.

21.
 “‘And you would render … ’” Hertz to Montefiore, May 30, 1917, ibid.

22.
 Over the course … Wolf, enclosure with letter to Montefiore, May 23, 1917, CZA, A/7732.

23.
 But Alexander refused … Wolf to Montefiore, May 23, 1917, Yivo Institute, Wolf Papers, microfilm reel 3.

24.
 “If you approve …” Walter Rothschild to Weizmann, May 24, 1917, WI.

25.
 “the hope that for …” Both quoted in
Jewish Chronicle
, June 1, 1917.

26.
 “It was … thanks …” Samuel Cohen to Weizmann, August 16, 1917, WI.

27.
 “The ordinary non-Jew …”
Palestine
, June 9, 1917.

28.
 “All that the Committee …”
Jewish Chronicle
, June 1, 1917.

29.
 “a grave error …” Zangwill to Wolf, May 26, 1917, WI.

30.
 “had declared the Zionists …”
Jewish Chronicle
, June 8, 1917.

31.
 “issued at an inopportune …” Ibid., June 22, 1917.

32.
 The scholar who … Cohen,
English Zionists
, 261–75.

33.
 “I write to tell you …” Walter Rothschild to Weizmann, June 17, 1917, WI.

34.
 “It is a great victory” … Sacher to Simon, June 20, 1917, and Sacher to Weizmann, June 22, 1917, ibid.

35.
 “This vote …” Graham, minute, June 20, 1917, NA, FO371/3053.

36.
 “I intend to send …” Sieff to Weizmann, May 7, 1917, WI.

37.
 “I don’t mind …” Sacher to Simon, May 9, 1917, CZA, A/289114.

38.
 “We Zionists …” Simon to Sokolow, August 3, 1917, WI.

39.
 “Chaim Weizmann has caught …” Sacher to Simon, September 2, 1917, CZA, A/289114.

40.
 “You act on your …” Cohen to Weizmann, August 16, 1917, WI.

41.
 A London delegate … The London delegate was Benjamin Grad.

42.
 “I think it no less …” Simon to Weizmann, August 17, 1917, ibid. Of the principals, only the iconoclast, Harry Sacher, remained mute.

43.
 “The atmosphere …” Weizmann to Sokolow, September 5, 1917, in Stein,
Letters
, letter no. 490, 7:499.

44.
 “had the effect …” Weizmann to Scott, September 13, 1917, in Stein,
Letters
, letter no. 501, 7:510.

45.
 “For the first time …” Ginzberg to Weizmann, September 5, 1917, OUNBL, Stein Papers, box 6.

CHAPTER 23: LAWRENCE AND THE ARABS ON THE VERGE

  1.
 “We all swore …” Quoted in Barr,
Setting the Desert
, 103.

  2.
 “I quite recognize …” Lawrence to Sykes, September 9, 1917, Durham University, Clayton Papers, 693/11/4.

  3.
 “They marched to Abu …” “Notes on Capt. Lawrence’s Journey,” Durham University, Clayton Papers, 694/5/26.

  4.
 “nearly blinded …” Lawrence,
Seven Pillars
, 246.

  5.
 “while the coffee …” Ibid., 251.

  6.
 “Twice puff-adders …” Ibid., 261.

  7.
 “I could see …” Ibid., 267.

  8.
 “Also … a rash …” Ibid., 266–67.

  9.
 “I’ve decided …” Quoted in Barr,
Setting the Desert
, 137.

10.
 “the low rolling …”
Arab Bulletin
, no. 59, August 12, 1917, p. 337.

11.
 “it was terribly hot …” Lawrence,
Seven Pillars
, 292–95.

12.
 “all the Turks …”
Arab Bulletin
, no. 59, August 12, 1917, p. 339.

13.
 With Aqaba secured … Barr,
Setting the Desert
, 154.

14.
 
“sat in his chair …” Lawrence,
Seven Pillars
, 312–13.

15.
 “The scheme …” Quoted in Barr,
Setting the Desert
, 156.

16.
 “dying to go …” Quoted ibid., 160.

17.
 “It is necessary …” War Cabinet, August 10, 1917, NA, Cab23/13.

18.
 “There they could …” Secretary (for Lloyd George) to Robertson, September 22, 1917, House of Lords Record Office, David Lloyd George Papers, box 71.

19.
 “In the afternoon …”
Arab Bulletin
, no. 65, October 8, 1917, p. 402.

20.
 “shattered the firebox …” Ibid., no. 66, October 21, 1917, p. 414.

21.
 Slowly—too slowly … Report No. 2, p. 13, Oxford University, St. Antony’s College, Middle East Centre, William Yale Papers, DS 244.4.

22.
 They did not … See Tauber,
Arab Movements
, 127.

23.
 “the rare sort …” Lawrence,
Seven Pillars
, 386.

24.
 “he was the only …” Ibid., 393.

25.
 “felt that there was …” Quoted in Barr,
Setting the Desert
, 187.

26.
 “Our minds were …” Lawrence,
Seven Pillars
, 405–16.

27.
 “a splendid two-engined …” Ibid., 422.

28.
 “His motor car …” Ibid., 423–25.

29.
 When Lawrence resisted … Barr,
Setting the Desert
, 195–200.

30.
 “a delicious warmth …” Lawrence,
Seven Pillars
, 436.

CHAPTER 24: THE DECLARATION AT LAST

  1.
 “elicit [from the … ]” Gaster to Weizmann, May 7, 1917, WI.

  2.
 “for as much as …” Sacher to Sokolow, July 10, 1917, OUNBL, Stein Papers, box 5.

  3.
 “We must control …” Sacher to Sokolow, July 11, 1917, ibid.

  4.
 “Our purpose …” Sokolow to Cowen, July 9, 1917, ibid.

  5.
 “Jewish National …” Sokolow to Sacher, July 13, 1917, ibid.

  6.
 “too long …” Sokolow to Sacher, July 18, 1917, ibid.

  7.
 “1. His Majesty’s …”
New York Times
, June 19, 2005.

  8.
 “At last I am able …” Rothschild to Balfour, July 18, 1917, WI.

  9.
 “The declaration is …” Weizmann to ——, August 1, 1917, in Stein,
Letters
, letter no. 468, 7:481.

10.
 “I am glad to be …” Reinharz,
Weizmann
, 180.

11.
 Later, at Milner’s request … Stein,
Balfour Declaration
, 520–21.

12.
 “In all the things …” Montagu to Asquith, June 15, 1915, OUNBL, Asquith Papers.

13.
 
“As the desert sand …”
Quoted in Sanders,
High Walls
, 563.

14.
 “I assert that …” Edwin Montagu, “The Anti-Semitism of the Present Government,” August 23, 1917, NA, Cab24/24.

15.
 “the country for which …” Montagu to Lloyd George, October 4, 1917, WI.

16.
 “urged that the use …” September 3, 1917, 26(2), NA, Cab23/4.

17.
 “We have submitted …” Quoted in Stein,
Balfour Declaration
, 514.

18.
 “barren and desolate …” October 4, 1917, 80(5–7), NA, Cab23/4.

19.
 “On this matter …” Edwin Montagu, “Zionism,” October 9, 1917, NA, Cab24/28.

20.
 “the thing will go …” Scott, diary entry, October 14, 1917, WI.

21.
 “It’s ridiculous …” Herbert, diary entry, October 21, 1917, Somerset Record Office, Herbert Papers.

22.
 “The Government has …” Quoted in Vital,
Zionism
, 291, n50.

23.
 “occupied [Palestine] …” Lord Curzon, “The Future of Palestine,” October 26, 1917, NA, Cab21/58.

24.
 No one need be … Sykes, memorandum, October 30, 1917, NA, FO371/3083.

25.
 “There were considerable …” October 31, 1917, 137(5–6), NA, Cab21/58.

26.
 “The vast majority …” Ibid.

27.
 
“admitted the force …” Ibid.

28.
 “I do not think …” Cecil, minute, March 3, 1916, NA, FO371/2671.

29.
 “Many … have a residual …” Sacher,
Zionist Portraits
, 37.

30.
 “recently approached …” Ormsby-Gore to Cecil, June 10, 1917, Hull University, Sykes Papers, DDSY/(2)/12/8.

31.
 Meanwhile the British … See, for example,
Jewish Chronicle
, September 21, 1917, and
Palestine
, September 22, 1917.

32.
 “During the last few …” Rothschild to Balfour, September 22, 1917, WI.

33.
 “This man displays …” Abraham Braunstein, “The Influence of British Successes in Palestine and the British Declaration Concerning a Jewish State on the Zionists in the Central Empires,” June 12, 1917, NA, WO106/1419.

34.
 “A meeting is said …” The message from “Mr. Goodhart in Berne to Mr. Balfour” may be found in a file along with Cab21/58 “Attitude of enemy governments towards Zionism,” February 15, 1918, which lists additional pro-Zionist press articles and expressions of sympathy from German officials. OUNBL, Stein Papers, box 12.

35.
 “behaved like a …” Quoted in Reinharz,
Weizmann
, 205.

CHAPTER 25: THE DECLARATION ENDANGERED

  1.
 “we are watching …” Hardinge to General [MacDonagh?], November 8, 1917, NA, WO106/1516.

  2.
 He had been dispatched … Arthur Balfour, “Circulated to the War Cabinet,” November 1917, NA, FO371/3057.

  3.
 “would welcome …” “Notes of conversation held by Mr. Waugh with Mr. Charlton Giraud: October 29, 1917,” ibid.

  4.
 “only of a kind …” Colonel Gabriel, memorandum on discussion with Giraud; Granville to Hardinge, November 1, 1917, ibid.

  5.
 Rumbold also reported … For example, Rumbold to Foreign Office, September 1, 1917 and November 29, 1917, ibid.

  6.
 Rahmi Bey’s twitch … Arthur Balfour, “Circulated to the War Cabinet,” November 1917, ibid.

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