Summary
The late Sir Gilbert Clayton, who was on Henry McMahon’s staff in Cairo in 1915 and 1916, made the preliminary drafts of all the letters to the Sherif Hussein of Mecca by his own 1923 account as quoted in the 1939 committee report, and placed on record that Palestine was never intended to be included in the pledge (Report of a Committee set up to consider certain correspondence between Sir Henry McMahon and the Sharif of Mecca, lines 243-250).
Details
- His 1923 statement, quoted by the United Kingdom representatives (who admit it has no legal weight on the construction of the letters): “I was in daily touch with Sir Henry McMahon throughout the negotiations with King Hussein, and made the preliminary drafts of all the letters. I can bear out the statement that it was never the intention that Palestine should be included in the general pledge given to the Sharif; the introductory words of Sir Henry’s letter were thought at that time—perhaps erroneously—clearly to cover that point.” (lines 243-250).
- The Arab representatives answer that what Clayton may have thought McMahon intended is of no consequence; what matters is what McMahon actually said (lines 255-265).
Related pages
Report of a Committee set up to consider certain correspondence between Sir Henry McMahon and the Sharif of Mecca, Henry McMahon, McMahon–Hussein correspondence