From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry
Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry
The Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry was a joint ration was recognized by the Great Powers and incorpo-
British and American attempt in 1946 to agree upon a rated into the Treaty of Sèvres. The Great Powers once
policy as regards the admission of Jews to Palestine. The again incorporated the declaration into the draft Man-
Committee was tasked to consult representative Arabs date for Palestine that they submitted to the Council of
and Jews on the problems of Palestine, and to make other the League of Nations.[1] The US Senate rejected the
recommendations ’as may be necessary’ to the British Treaty of Versailles and as a consequence the United
and American governments. The Committee’s recom- States never joined the League of Nations. The House and
mendations addressed the matter of immigration and the Senate passed a non-binding Joint Resolution, HR 360,
future government of Palestine. Although one of many June 30, 1922 favoring the establishment of a Jewish Na-
committees of inquiry which examined the situation in tional Home in Palestine. On 21 September 1922, Pres-
Palestine, the Anglo-American committee was the only ident Warren G. Harding also signed the resolution. A
one to also examine the conditions of Jews in Europe. commission had been proposed by the United States at
the Peace Conference as an international effort to deter-
mine if the region was ready for self-determination and
to see what nations, if any, the locals wanted to act as
mandatory powers. The report of the King-Crane Com-
mission was not made public until after the Congress had
voted on their Joint resolution. Public opinion was divid-
ed when it was learned that the Arab majority had re-
quested that the mandate be administered by the United
States, and that they intended to establish a democrati-
cally elected constituent assembly.[2]
The rise of Nazism and the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in
Palestine led the British to reverse the Balfour Declara-
David Ben-Gurion testifying before the Anglo-American Com- tion in the 1939 White Paper. This policy placed a limit of
mittee of Inquiry allowing 75,000 more Jews into Palestine (by 1949) after
which Jewish migration was to be terminated. An inde-
pendent state in Palestine with an Arab majority was to
be established by 1948. In response to the White Paper,
land sales to Jews were severely restricted by a 1940
law.[3]
The end of World War II and the Holocaust left
Europe with hundreds of thousands of displaced Jewish
refugees. American public opinion supported a Jewish
Homeland in Palestine, but Britain persisted in opposing
Jewish immigration, fearing damage to its extensive and
vulnerable empire in the Middle-East. Britain ruled oil-
rich Kuwait, The Arab Emirates, Oman and Bahrain. It al-
so controlled Jordan and Yemen and had treaties binding
it to Iraq (where the oil industry was British owned) and
Judah Leon Magnes and Martin Buber testifying before the Egypt (where Britain administered the Suez canal). With
Anglo-American Committee (1946)
the Jews in Palestine waging an underground war against
the British occupation, the refugee situation was critical
Background and British and American policy was at loggerheads.
The British government suggested the inquiry in the
In 1917, Britain drafted the Balfour Declaration, becom- belief that it would agree with their decision to halt
ing the first Great Power to support Zionist calls for a Jewish migration into Palestine and thus disarm Amer-
’Jewish National Home’ in Palestine. Shortly thereafter, ican pressure. To this end the British agreed to abide
Britain defeated the Ottoman Empire in World War I and by the committee’s findings, but made sure that British
as a result took control of Palestine. The Balfour Decla-
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry
committee members had a record of supporting the whole world shares responsibility for them and in-
Palestinian-Arab aspirations.[citation needed] deed for the resettlement of all "displaced persons". We
therefore recommend that our Governments together,
Committee and in association with other countries, should endeavor
immediately to find new homes for all such "displaced
persons", irrespective of creed or nationality, whose ties
Members with their former communities have been irreparably
The committee comprised six Americans and six British. broken. Though emigration will solve the problems of
Judge ‘Texas Joe’ Hutcheson was the American Chairman. some victims of persecution, the overwhelming majority,
He was joined by Frank Aydelotte, William Phillips, Frank including a considerable number of Jews, will continue
Buxton, James G. McDonald, and Bartley Crum. The group to live in Europe. We recommend therefore that our
was a diverse group of diplomats, scholars, and politi- Governments endeavor to secure that immediate effect is
cians, most in favor of the proposal that 100,000 dis- given to the provision of the United Nations Charter call-
placed persons be admitted to Palestine. The British con- ing for "universal respect for, and observance of, human
tingent was comprised by Lord Morrison, Sir Frederick rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinc-
Leggett, Wilfrid Crick, Reginald Manningham-Buller, and tion as to race, sex, language, or religion".
Richard Crossman, and headed by Sir John Singleton. Recommendation No. 2. We recommend (a) that
100,000 certificates be authorized immediately for the
Journey admission into Palestine of Jews who have been the vic-
The Committee visited Washington, D.C. and London to tims of Nazi and Fascist persecution; (b) that these cer-
gauge the official policies and position of the two nations. tificates be awarded as far as possible in 1946 and that ac-
They proceeded to Vienna to view a displaced persons tual immigration be pushed forward as rapidly as condi-
camp of Holocaust survivors, and then Cairo to discuss tions will permit.
Arab sentiments. The Committee then visited Palestine. Recommendation No. 3. In order to dispose, once and
They finally retired to Switzerland to debate and draft for all, of the exclusive claims of Jews and Arabs to Pales-
their findings. tine, we regard it as essential that a clear statement of the
During their stay in Vienna they surveyed Jewish following principles should be made:
Holocaust survivors as to their preferred destination. • I. That Jew shall not dominate Arab and Arab shall
98% said Palestine. not dominate Jew in Palestine.
"In Poland, Hungary and Rumania, the chief desire • II. That Palestine shall be neither a Jewish state nor
is to get out, to get away somewhere where there is a an Arab state.
chance of building up a new life, of finding some happi- • III. That the form of government ultimately to be
ness, of living in peace and in security. In Germany also, established, shall, under international guarantees,
where the number of Jews has been reduced from about fully protect and preserve the interests in the Holy
500,000 in 1933 to about 20,000 now, and most traces of Land of Christendom and of the Moslem and Jewish
Jewish life have been destroyed, there is a similar desire faiths.
on the part of a large proportion of the survivors to make Thus Palestine must ultimately become a state which
a home elsewhere, preferably in Palestine. In Czechoslo- guards the rights and interests of Moslems, Jews and
vakia, particularly in Bohemia and Moravia, and in Aus- Christians alike; and accords to the inhabitants, as a
tria, the position in regard to the reestablishment of the whole, the fullest measure of self-government, consis-
Jewish populations is more hopeful. The vast majority of tent with the three paramount principles set forth above.
the Jewish displaced persons and migrants, however, be- Recommendation No. 4. We have reached the conclu-
lieve that the only place which offers a prospect is Pales- sion that the hostility between Jews and Arabs and, in
tine." (Anglo-American Committee of inquiry, chapter 2 particular, the determination of each to achieve domina-
paragraph 12) tion, if necessary by violence, make it almost certain that,
now and for some time to come, any attempt to estab-
Recommendations lish either an independent Palestinian State or indepen-
dent Palestinian States would result in civil strife such as
In April 1946, the Committee reported. Its recommenda-
might threaten the peace of the world. We therefore rec-
tions were as follows:[4]
ommend that, until this hostility disappears, the Govern-
Recommendation No. 1. We have to report that such
ment of Palestine be continued as at present under man-
information as we received about countries other than
date pending the execution of a trusteeship agreement
Palestine gave no hope of substantial assistance in find-
under the United Nations.
ing homes for Jews wishing or impelled to leave Europe.
Recommendation No. 5. Looking towards a form of ul-
But Palestine alone cannot meet the emigration needs
timate self-government, consistent with the three princi-
of the Jewish victims of Nazi and Fascist persecution;
ples laid down in Recommendation No. 3, we recommend
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry
that the mandatory or trustee should proclaim the prin- educational system of both Jews and Arabs be reformed,
ciple that Arab economic, educational and political ad- including the introduction of compulsory education
vancement in Palestine is of equal importance with that within a reasonable time.
of the Jews; and should at once prepare measures de- Recommendation No. 10. We recommend that, if this
signed to bridge the gap which now exists and raise the Report is adopted, it should be made clear beyond all
Arab standard of living to that of the Jews; and so bring doubt to both Jews and Arabs that any attempt from ei-
the two peoples to a full appreciation of their common ther side, by threats of violence, by terrorism, or by the
interest and common destiny in the land where both be- organization or use of illegal armies to prevent its execu-
long. tion, will be resolutely suppressed.
Recommendation No. 6. We recommend that, pend-
ing the early reference to the United Nations and the Effects
execution of a trusteeship agreement, the mandatory Within several days of the release of the Committee’s
should administer Palestine according to the mandate findings, its implementation was in jeopardy. U.S. Presi-
which declares with regard to immigration that "The ad- dent Harry S.Truman angered the British Labour Party by
ministration of Palestine, while ensuring that the rights issuing a statement supporting the 100,000 refugees but
and position of other sections of the population are not refusing to acknowledge other aspects of the finding. The
prejudiced, shall facilitate Jewish immigration under British government had asked for US assistance in imple-
suitable conditions". menting the recommendations. The US War Department
Recommendation No. 7. (a) We recommend that the had issued an earlier report which stated that an open-
Land Transfers Regulations of 1940 be rescinded and re- ended U.S troop commitment of 300,000 personnel would
placed by regulations based on a policy of freedom in be necessary to assist the British government in main-
the sale, lease or use of land, irrespective of race, com- taining order against an Arab revolt. The immediate ad-
munity or creed, and providing adequate protection for mission of 100,000 new Jewish immigrants would almost
the interests of small owners and tenant cultivators; (b) certainly provoke an Arab uprising.[5]
We further recommend that steps be taken to render nu- A new committee, the Morrison-Grady Committee
gatory and to prohibit provisions in conveyances, leas- was subsequently created to establish how the Anglo-
es and agreements relating to land which stipulate that American proposals would be implemented.[6] The new
only members of one races community or creed may be committee did not visit Palestine, and its conclusions
employed on or about or in connection therewith; (c) We were rejected by both the Arab and the Jewish leader-
recommend that the Government should exercise such ship. Some of the proposals negated aspects of the Anglo-
close supervision over the Holy Places and localities such American Committee of Inquiry’s proposals.[7]
as the Sea of Galilee and its vicinity as will protect them From October 1946 1,500 Jews were allowed into
from desecration and from uses which offend the con- Palestine every month. Half of these came from the
science of religious people, and that such laws as are re- Cyprus internment camps which held illegal immigrants
quired for this purpose be enacted forthwith. to Palestine. This allowance was designed to go some way
Recommendation No. 8. Various plans for large-scale to meet the promise made that the committee’s findings
agricultural and industrial development in Palestine would be binding; it also helped reduce pressure from the
have been presented for our consideration; these pro- Jews of Palestine and fears that the growing numbers of
jects, if successfully carried into effect, could not only Jews being held in Cyprus would destabilize British rule
greatly enlarge the capacity of the country to support an on the island[citation needed].
increasing population but also raise the living standards
of Jew and Arab alike. We are not in a position to assess
the soundness of these specific plans; but we cannot state References
too strongly that, however technically feasible they may [1] Balfour’s remarks from the League of Nations
be, they will fail unless there is peace in Palestine. More- Official Journal: 30 June 1922
over their full success requires the willing cooperation of [2] CRANE AND KING’S LONG-HID REPORT ON THE
adjacent Arab states, since they are not merely Palestin- NEAR EAST
ian projects. We recommend therefore that the examina- [3] Avalon Project (Yale Law School). "Anglo-American
tion, discussion and execution of these plans be conduct- Committee of Inquiry -Appendix IV".
ed, from the start and throughout, in full consultation http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/
and cooperation not only with the Jewish Agency but also angap04.asp. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
with the governments of the neighboring Arab States di- [4] Avalon Project (Yale Law School). "Anglo-American
rectly affected. Committee of Inquiry - Chapter I".
Recommendation No. 9. We recommend that, in the http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/
interests of the conciliation of the two peoples and of angch01.asp. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
general improvement of the Arab standard of living, the
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry
[5] American Jewish History: A Eight-volume Series By Hirsch, Deborah Housen-Couriel, Ruth Lapidoth
Jeffrey S Gurock, American Jewish Historical page 32, Martinus Nijhoff 1995
Society, page 243
[6] http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/
judaica/ejud_0002_0015_0_15344.html’
External links
[7] Whither Jerusalem?: proposals and positions • Anglo-American Committee of inquiry text
concerning the future of Jerusalem By Moshe • Immigration into Palestine - Statement by President
Truman, October 4, 1946
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Categories:
• Arab–Israeli conflict
• Documents of the British Mandate for Palestine
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