Newsgroup: it.cultura.storia
Titolo: Il diritto di Israele risale al 3 Gennaio 1919

and Khadim al-Haramayn as-Sharifayn, Emir Feisal Ibn al-Hussein al-Hashemi,
and the President of the World Zionist Organization, Dr. Chaim Weizmann
(January 3, 1919)
January 3, 1919
His Royal Highness the Emir Feisal, representing and acting on behalf of the
Arab Kingdom of Hedjaz, and Dr. Chaim Weizmann, representing and acting on
behalf of the Zionist Organisation, mindful of the racial kinship and
ancient bonds existing between the Arabs and the Jewish people, and
realising that the surest means of working out the consummation of their
national aspirations is through the closest possible collaboration in the
development of the Arab State and Palestine, and being desirous further of
confirming the good understanding which exists between them, have agreed
upon the following Articles:
ARTICLE I
The Arab State and Palestine in all their relations and undertakings shall
be controlled by the most cordial goodwill and understanding, and to this
end Arab and Jewish duly accredited agents shall be established and
maintained in the respective territories.
ARTICLE II
Immediately following the completion of the deliberations of the Peace
Conference, the definite boundaries between the Arab State and Palestine
shall be determined by a Commission to be agreed upon by the parties hereto.
ARTICLE III
In the establishment of the Constitution and Administration of Palestine all
such measures shall be adopted as will afford the fullest guarantees for
carrying into effect the British Government's Declaration of the 2d of
November, 1917.
ARTICLE IV
All necessary measures shall be taken to encourage stimulate immigration of
Jews into Palestine on a large scale, and as quickly as possible to settle
Jewish immigrants upon the land through closer settlement and intensive
cultivation of the soil. In taking such measures the Arab peasant and tenant
farmers shall be protected in their rights, and shall be assisted in
forwarding their economic development.
ARTICLE V
No regulation nor law shall be made prohibiting or interfering in any way
with the free exercise of religion; and further the free exercise and
enjoyment of religious profession and worship without discrimination or
preference shall forever be allowed. No religious test shall ever be
required for the exercise of civil or political rights.
ARTICLE VI
The Mohammedan Holy Places shall be under Mohammedan control.
ARTICLE VII
The Zionist Organisation proposes to send to Palestine a Commission of
experts to make a survey of the economic possibilities of the country, and
to report upon the best means for its development. The Zionist Organisation
will place the aforementioned Commission at the disposal of the Arab State
for the purpose of a survey of the economic possibilities of the Arab State
and to report upon the best means for its development. The Zionist
Organisation will use its best efforts to assist the Arab State in providing
the means for developing the natural resources and economic possibilities
thereof.
ARTICLE VIII
The parties hereto agree to act in complete accord and harmony on all
matters embraced herein before the Peace Congress.
ARTICLE IX
Any matters of dispute which may arise between the contracting parties shall
be referred to the British Government for arbitration. Given under our hand
at London, England, the third day of January, one thousand nine hundred and
nineteen.
Chaim Weizmann
Feisal Ibn al-Hussein.
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Letter by Emir Feisal to Felix Frankfurter, President of the Zionist
Organisation of America
DELEGATION HEDJAZIENNE
Paris, March 3, 1919.
DEAR MR. FRANKFURTER: I want to take this opportunity of my first contact
with American Zionists to tell you what I have often been able to say to Dr.
Weizmann is Arabia and Europe.
We feel that the Arabs and Jews are cousins in race, having suffered similar
oppressions at the hands of powers stronger than themselves, and by a happy
coincidence have been able to take the first step towards the attainment of
their national ideals together.
The Arabs, especially the educated among us, look with the deepest sympathy
on the Zionist movement. Our deputation here in Paris is fully acquainted
with the proposals submitted yesterday by the Zionist Organization to the
Peace Conference, and we regard them as moderate and proper. We will do our
best, in so far as we are concerned, to help them through: we will wish the
Jews a most hearty welcome home.
With the chiefs of your movement, especially with Dr. Weizmann, we have had
and continue to have the closest relations. He has been a great helper of
our cause, and I hope the Arabs may soon be in a position to make the Jews
some return for their kindness. We are working together for a reformed and
revived Near East, and our two movements complete one another. The Jewish
movement is national and not imperialist. Our movement is national and not
imperialist, and there is room in Syria for us both. Indeed I think that
neither can be a real success without the other.
People less informed and less responsible than our leaders and yours,
ignoring the need for cooperation of the Arabs and Zionists have been trying
to exploit the local difficulties that must necessarily arise in Palestine
in the early stages of our movements. Some of them have, I am afraid,
misrepresented your aims to the Arab peasantry, and our aims to the Jewish
peasantry, with the result that interested parties have been able to make
capital out of what they call our differences.
I wish to give you my firm conviction that these differences are not on
questions of principle, but on matters of detail such as must inevitably
occur in every contact of neighbouring peoples, and as are easily adjusted
by mutual good will. Indeed nearly all of them will disappear with fuller
knowledge.
I look forward, and my people with me look forward, to a future in which we
will help you and you will help us, so that the countries in which we are
mutually interested may once again take their places in the community of
civilised peoples of the world.
Believe me,
Yours sincerely,
Feisal.
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Reply by Felix Frankufurter to Emir Feisal
5TH MARCH, 1919.
ROYAL HIGHNESS: Allow me, on behalf of the Zionist Organisation, to
acknowledge your recent letter with deep appreciation.
Those of us who come from the United States have already been gratified by
the friendly relations and the active cooperation maintained between you and
the Zionist leaders, particularly Dr. Weizmann. We knew it could not be
other wise; we knew that the aspirations of the Arab and the Jewish peoples
were parallel, that each aspired to reestablish its nationality in its own
homeland, each making its own distinctive contribution to civilisation, each
seeking its own peaceful mode of life.
The Zionist leaders and the Jewish people for whom they speak have watched
with satisfaction the spiritual vigour of the Arab movement. Themselves
seeking justice, they are anxious that the just national aims of the Arab
people be confirmed and safeguarded by the Peace Conference.
We knew from your acts and your past utterances that the Zionist movement -
in other words the national aims of the Jewish people - had your support and
the support of the Arab people for whom you speak. These aims are now before
the Peace Conference as definite proposals by the Zionist Organisation. We
are happy indeed that you consider these proposals "moderate and proper,"
and that we have in you a staunch supporter for their realisation. For both
the Arab and the Jewish peoples there are difficulties ahead - difficulties
that challenge the united statesmanship of Arab and Jewish leaders. For it
is no easy task to rebuild two great civilisations that have been suffering
oppression and misrule for centuries. We each have our difficulties we shall
work out as friends, friends who are animated by similar purposes, seeking a
free and full development for the two neighbouring peoples. The Arabs and
Jews are neighbours in territory; we cannot but live side by side as
friends.
Very respectfully,
Felix Frankfurter.
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Excepts from an articled by Sharif al-Hussein Ibn Ali al-Husseini, published
in "al-Qiblah" (the daily newspaper of Mecca al-Mukarramah) on March 23,
1918
The resources of the country [Western Palestine] are still virgin soil and
will be developed by the Jewish immigrants. One of the most amazing things
until recent times was that the Palestinian used to leave his country,
wandering over the high seas in every direction. His native soil could not
retain a hold on him, though his ancestors had lived on it for 1,000 years.
At the same time we have seen the Jews from foreign countries streaming to
Palestine from Russia, Germany, Austria, Spain, America. The cause of causes
could not escape those who had the gift of a deeper insight. They knew that
the country was for its original sons [abna'ihi-l-asliyin], for all their
differences, a sacred and beloved homeland. The return of these exiles
[jaliya] to their homeland will prove materially and spiritually an
experimental school for their brethren who are with them in the fields,
factories, trades, and in all things connected with toil and labour


Mi fa piacere che i dottoroni e gli espertoni del ng non abbiano saputo come
al solito ribattere niente.
Ad'I