The Second World War and the Palestinian Issue


Regardless of what was mentioned above, the last stages of the war were characterized by certain events that influenced the Palestinian issue. Amongst those events was the meeting in Egypt between King Abdul-Aziz and the American president Roosevelt in 1364H /February 1945, and with Winston Churchill the prime Minister of Great Britain three days later.


The Palestinian issue was the most important point on the meeting agenda which indicated King Abdul Aziz's attention to the Palestinian issue and the rights of its people.


At the end of the meeting the American president was quoted to say: "In 10 minutes with King Abdul-Aziz, I have understood about the Palestinian Issue what I couldn't understand until now." He also promised him that he wouldn't adopt any plan or action that would endanger the Palestinians' rights.


After the war, the most dangerous results of the Zionists efforts came to light. They claimed to establish a native state in Palestine at the expense of its Arab people. In order to deal with that dangerous issue, all Arab Kings and leaders held a conference in Incas, Egypt, in 1366 H (1946). The conference was presided by King Farouk, and Prince Saud attended it representing his father. According to the resolution of the conference, the Palestinian issue was not a Palestinian concern only, but Arab one, and therefore they denounced the British position with regard to that issue [1]. (Of course, Egypt's leading stand from the Palestinian issue) In addition to its numerous problems with the British government during the war, relations between Egypt and Britain become more and more tense.


Since King Abdul-Aziz was a friend of both countries, he sent Saud in a secret mission to London in order to bring closer the two perspectives. In spite of Prince's Saud serious attempts, the attempt failed because of the resistance shown by the Egyptian parties, especially by Al-Wafd Party lead by Al-Nahhas Basha, in Rabi I 1366 H/ February 1947 [2].


After the demise of President Roosevelt and the election of President Truman, the Arabs felt that the new president was going to annul the last promises concerning the Palestinian issue. Therefore, King Abdul-Aziz sent his son Saud to the United States on Safar 20th 1366 H/13 January 1947,  in an official visit to discuss the issue.
During that visit, Prince Saud could not change President Truman's opinion and he asked him for a development loan of $50 million in order to finance a railway project from Dhahran to Riyadh; but the answer was negative. Nevertheless the American administration suggested to finance the project from the aid allocated to the Kingdom and which was estimated at $10 million, from the Import/Export Bank, in addition to loans from financing resources in exchange for guarantees from the incomings of Saudi oil
[3].

Through that visit and negotiations with the American Administration and financing organizations, and in spite of the negative effects, Prince Saud learned some lessons that helped him in improving his ideas concerning certain financial issues.


The suggestion by the American Administration to use his Country's reserves (Oil reserves not financial ones, because during that period, the income was insufficient to accomplish his father's objectives) as a guarantee to obtain what was needed from financial and commercial organizations, gave the Prince a lifelong lesson, that his country should depend on itself to develop human and economic resources in order to improve the standards of life, achieve progress and well being and playa leading role in the Arab and Islamic World.
On his way back from America, and upon an order from King Abdul-Aziz, Prince Saud stopped in Paris where he met Anthony Eden, the British Minister of Foreign Affairs in order to discuss the Palestinian issue and the tension in Egyptian-British relations .

And as usual he played an effective role in silence and calmness, far from disturbance of media. In contrast with a common idea, the above indicates Prince Saud's acquaintance with foreign affairs issues and the trust of his father in his successful dealing with this aspect.

 

Source : Fahda Bint Saud

 

References

  1. ^ 93 ANNUAL REPORT OF SAUDI ARABIA, 1946 ,POLITICAL DIARIES, V .V, P. 
  2. ^ BRITISH EMBASSY, JEDDAH, 12 TH OF FEB. 1984, POLITICAI DIARIES, V. VI, - ص . 104 
  3. ^ UNIVERSITY PRESS OF AMERICA , 1982, SAUDI AMERICAN RELATIONS ص. 69