Churchill, Palestine and Zionism, 1904-1922 - Douglas J. Feith

Palestine and Zionism, 1904-1922 255
regretted that they "may now boast that they have bullied us into doing
what they want.,,128 He nevertheless recommended approving Samuel's
action, and Churchill, as usual, took Shuckburgh's advice.
The best-known document from Churchill's tenure as colonial secretary
was the 3 June 1922 statement on British policy in Palestine, the
core of what became known as the Churchill white paper. In fact, Churchill
neither wrote the statement nor proposed any changes in the draft
written by Samuel and submitted to the colonial secretary by Shuck burgh
on 24 May.129 The white paper sounded all of Samuel's favorite themes,
including his rebuke of Weizmann's "as Jewish as England is English"
remark. Samuel calculated correctly, however, that the Zionists would
accept the document. He included for their gratification a passage on Jewish
rights in Palestine resting "upon ancient historic connection." With
the League of Nations soon to decide whether to confirm the mandate,
he knew the Zionists would not run the risk of openly breaking with
Britain.
The white paper's premise was that tension in Palestine arose from
Arab fears rooted in "exaggerated interpretations" of the Balfour Declaration.
The government, it said, does not intend that Palestine become "as
Jewish as England is English." The Balfour Declaration does not contemplate
that all of Palestine "be converted into a Jewish National Home, but
that such a Home should be founded in Palestine."
The statement then assures the Jews that their fears that Britain may
abandon the declaration "are unfounded." The term "Jewish National
Home" does not mean "imposition of Jewish nationality" upon all the
inhabitants but "the further development of the existing Jewish community
... in order that it may become a centre in which the Jewish people
as a whole may take ... an interest and a pride." For the Jewish community
to have the best prospect for development, "it is essential that it
should know that it is in Palestine as of right and not by sufferance" and
"[t]hat is the reason why it is necessary that the existence of a Jewish
National Home in Palestine should be internationally guaranteed, and
that it should be formally recognised to rest upon ancient historic connection."
The Jewish community "should be able to increase its numbers
by immigration" but cannot exceed the country's economic absorptive
capacity.
128 Shuckburgh to Masterton Smith, March 11, 1922, quoted in WSC IV 646.
129 See Cohen, Churchill and the Jews, 142-3.