867N.01/2071
The British Ambassador (Halifax) to the Secretary of State
Dear Mr. Hull: During our conversation yesterday on the subject of Palestine I showed you a telegram from Eden in which he expressed the hope that you might perhaps feel able to do something to dissuade the Zionist leaders here from the course of action they are now pursuing. You said that I might send you a copy of what he said on this point.
The relevant extract was as follows:
“Since Mr. Hull has consulted us I think we should take the opportunity to express our candid view that in the long run it would be advantageous to all parties if, apart from a public statement, he felt able to warn Zionist leaders of the dangers of their present policy. Mr. Hull will have seen reports stressing the grave danger of an outbreak of violence in Palestine if the Zionists press their maximum demands. We hope therefore that Mr. Hull using his great prestige will be able to see Zionist leaders and warn them of the disaster that they may bring on the Jews in Palestine and the damage they may [Page 829] cause to the common war effort if their attitude continues strident and provocative.
“Possibly the President on his return will be reporting to Congress publicly or privately about his journey. If he could say something about the recent tension in the Eastern Mediterranean (not solely in Lebanon21) and the necessity for opinion in the United States to look at the Middle East area as a whole, that might also be most useful. The mistake extreme pro-Zionists make is in treating Palestine in isolation not as a part of the Arab world as a whole.”
I am sure that if it were possible for the President and yourself to say something in this sense, it would be of the greatest value.