Lawrence of Arabia, Zionism and Palestine - The World War I ...

ZIONISM AND PALESTINE 47
the plan of the dinner party with which I followed up
this first meeting, annotated for my mother's information:
Mr. Abu Suan Musa Käzcm Mr. Silvain The Mufti of Sa Grandeur Arif Pasha
of Latin Pasha al Levy,1 Jerusalem· Thorgom Daudi, ex-
Patriarchate Husseini. French Kushagjan, Ottoman
Mayor of Orientalist Armenian Official of
Jerusalem Bishop of good family
Cairo (acting
Armenian
Patriarch)
Major Ormsby-Gore
Lt.-Col. Lord Wm. Percy
Mr. D. Major J. de His Eminence Military Dr. Weizmann Ismail Bey al
Salameh, Rothschild Porphyries, Governor Husseini,
Vice-Mayor Archbishop of Director of
of Jerusalem Mount Sinai, Education
(Christian
Orthodox)
Locum Tenens
Orthodox
Patriarchate
After proposing "The King" I explained that I had
seized the occasion of so many representatives of communities
being gathered in Jerusalem to clear away
certain misunderstandings aroused by the visit of the
Zionist Commission. Dr. Weizmann then pronounced
an eloquent exposition of the Zionist creed : Jews had
never renounced their rights to Palestine; they were
brother Semites, not so much "coming" as "returning"
to the country; there was room for both to work side
by side ; let his hearers beware of treacherous insinuations
that Zionists were seeking political power—rather let
both progress together until they were ready for a joint
autonomy. Zionists were following with the deepest
. sympathy the struggles of Arabs and Armenians for
that freedom which all three could mutually assist
each other to regain. He concluded: "The hand of
God now lies heavy upon the peoples of Europe : let us
unite in prayer that it may lighten." To my Arabic
rendering of this speech the Mufti replied civilly,
1 Who withdrew from the Commission and Organization during
the Peace Conference.
2 Kamel Effendi, who died 1922, and is not to be confused
with his successor, Haj Amin Effcndi, the present ex-Mufti of
Jerusalem.