Beschreibung:

Collection of documents which record the activities of the Palestine Arab delegation to London in the years 1921-1922, from the estate of one of the delegation members, Ibrahim Shammas (al- Shammas). Most of the documents are from London, ca. 1921-1922. Arabic and English. In 1919, after World War I and following the British occupation of Palestine, some groups of Muslims and Christians in Palestine united and organized the Palestine Arab Congress. During the years 1920-1928 the congress convened six times, focusing on opposition to the Zionist Movement and demanding the renunciation of the Balfour declaration. In 1921, during the third congress, the politician Musa Kazim Pasha al-Husayni was elected to head The Palestine Arab Delegation to London. This was the first of several delegations that were sent to London during the years 1921-1930. While in England, members of the delegation tried to draw attention to the Arab-Palestinian issue and met with many leaders and politicians (including the Pope, representatives of the League of Nations, secretary of state for colonies Winston Churchill and others). In 1922 the delegation returned to Palestine as a protest against the approval of the text of the Mandate of Palestine. The delegation did not achieve any significant results but succeeded in gaining support by British Parliament members mainly from the conservative party. The documents in this colection shed light on the activity of the Arab-Palestinian delegation in London. Among the documrnts: * Nine copies of circulars (duplication of manuscripts) on official stationery of the delegation. Eight are signed by hand by the head of the delegation, Musa al-Husayni. One circular is partly handwritten (most probably by al-Husayni) and not signed. London, April-July 1922. Arabic. The circulars include protocols of meetings with British politicians, including the High Commissioner, Herbert Samuel, and with the representative for Palestinian matters of the Minister for Colonies Winston Churchill; details of the endeavors invested by the delegation members to cancel the Balfour declaration, and to amend the British Mandate for Palestine command and Treaty of Sèvres; and more. A meeting with Chaim Weizmann is mentioned in one of the circulars. In the same circular Winston Churchill is quoted as saying that the Balfour declaration is "Inheritance from the war". One circular is not complete. Enclosed are additional copies of some of the circulars. * Seven copies of printed letters from the head of the delegation. Not signed. May-July 1922. English. Among them: copy of a letter about the situation in Syria, May 1922 (two copies, one addressed to the US ambassador to Britain and the second to Prime Minister of Britain); copy of a letter to Winston Churchill concerning the leasing of lands in Haifa to JCA, June 1922; Copy of a letter about the refusal of the Palestinians represented by the delegation to accept the Balfour declaration, July 1922 (two copies, one addressed to the President of the League of Nations and the other to Winston Churchill ; copy of a protest letter against the Mandate (two copies, one to the President of the League of Nations and the other to the British Foreign Minister). * Copy of a printed letter on behalf of Winston Churchill in response to a letter by the delegation, April, 1922. Two copies. * Leaf with copies of telegrams from the delegation with a notice about the decision of the Arab Congress to return the delegation; following Churchill's declaration that the Balfour Declaration is an "indivisible part" of the Mandate. July 1922. English. * Remarks on the Interim Report of the High Commissioner on the Civil Administration of Palestine from July 1st to June 30th 1921. A long document (duplication of a typewritten document) with comments by the delegation on the interim report of the High Commissioner on the civil administration Palestine. * Letters and other documents, including documents to Ibrahim Shammas