CONVENTION-GREAT BRITAIN-PALESTINE. DECEMBER 3,1924. United States

CONVENTION-GREAT BRITAIN-PALESTINE. DECEMBER 3,1924. United States 

CONVENTION-GREAT BRITAIN-PALESTINE. DECEMBER 3, 1924. United States 

December 3, 1924. Convention between the United States and Great Britain in respect to rights in Palestine. Signed at London, December 3, 1924: Ratification advised by the Senate, February 20, 1925; ratified by the President, March 2, 1925; ratified by Great Britain, March 18, 1925; ratifications exchanged at London, December 3, 1925; proclaimed, December 5, 1925.

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

A PROCLAMATION.

Convention with Great Britain with respect to Palestine. Preamble.

WHEREAS a Convention between the United States of America Great Britain with  His Britannic Majesty respect rights Preamble. Governments and their nationals in Palestine was concluded and signed by their respective Plenipotentiaries at London on the third day of December, one thousand nine hundred and twenty-four, the original of which Convention is word for word as follows: 

Rights renounced by Turkey

WHEREAS by the Treaty of Peace concluded with the Allied Powers Turkey renounces all her rights and titles over Palestine; and Authority. 

Authority

Whereas article 22 of the Covenant of the League of Nations in the Treaty of Versailles provides that in the case of certain territories which, as a consequence. of the late war, ceased to be under the sovereignty of the States which formerly governed them, mandates should be issued, and that the terms of the mandate should be explicitly defined in each case by the Council of the League; and Agreement to mandate of Great Britain - 

Whereas the Principal Allied Powers have agreed to entrust the date of Great Britain. mandate for Palestine to His Britannic Majesty; and

Action by the Council of the League of Nations

Whereas the terms of the said mandate have been defined by the Council of the League of Nations. Council of the League of Nations, as follows:- 

Preamble.

"The Council of the League of Nations: 

"Whereas the Principal Allied Powers have agreed, for the purpose of giving effect to the provisions of article 22 of the Covenant of the League of Nations, to entrust to a Mandatory selected by the said Powers the administration of the territory of Palestine, which formerly belonged to the Turkish Empire, within such boundaries as may be fixed by them; and 

"Whereas the Principal Allied Powers have also agreed that the Mandatory should be responsible for putting into effect the declaration originally made on the 2nd November, 1917, by the Government of His Britannic Majesty, and adopted by the said Powers, in favor of the reestablishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, it being clearly understood that nothing should be done which might prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country; and 

"Whereas recognition has thereby been given to the historical connection of the Jewish people with Palestine and to the grounds for reconstituting their national home in that country; and

"Whereas the Principal Allied Powers have selected His Britannic Majesty as the Mandatory for Palestine; and 

"Whereas the mandate in respect of Palestine has been formulated in the following terms and submitted to the Council of the League for approval; and

"Whereas His Britannic Majesty has accepted the mandate in respect of Palestine and undertaken to exercise it on behalf of the League of Nations in conformity with the following provisions; and

"Whereas by the aforementioned article 22 (paragraph 8), it is provided that the degree of authority, control or administration to be exercised by the Mandatory, not having been previously agreed upon by the members of the League, shall be explicitly defined by the Council of the League of Nations; "Confirming the said mandate, defines its terms as follows:-

Terms of the Mandate for Palestine. 

"ARTICLE 1.

"The Mandatory shall have full powers of legislation and of administration, save as they may be limited by the terms of this mandate. 

"ARTICLE 2.

"The Mandatory shall be responsible for placing the country under such political, administrative and economic conditions as will secure the establishment of the Jewish national home, as laid down in the preamble, and the development of self-governing institutions, and also for safeguarding the civil and religious rights of all the inhabitants of Palestine, irrespective of race and religion. 

"ARTICLE 3.

"The Mandatory shall, so far as circumstances permit, encourage local autonomy. 

"ARTICLE 4.

"An appropriate Jewish agency shall be recognized as a public body for the purpose of advising and co-operating with the Administration of Palestine in such economic, social and other matters as may affect the establishment of the Jewish national home and the interests of the Jewish population in Palestine, and, subject always to the control of the Administration, to assist and take part in the development of the country. "The Zionist organization, so long as its organization and constitution are in the opinion of the Mandatory appropriate, shall be recognized as such agency. It shall take steps in consultation with His Britannic Majesty's Government to secure the co-operation of all Jews who are willing to assist in the establishment of the Jewish national home. 

"ARTICLE 5.

"The Mandatory shall be responsible for seeing that no Palestine territory shall be ceded or leased to, or in any way placed under the control of, the Government of any foreign Power. 

"ARTICLE 6.

"The Administration of Palestine, while ensuring that the rights and position of other sections of the population are not prejudiced, shall facilitate Jewish immigration under suitable conditions and shall encourage, in cooperation with the Jewish agency referred to in article 4, close settlement by Jews on the land, including State lands and waste lands not required for public purposes.

"ARTICLE 7.

"The Administration of Palestine shall be responsible for enacting a nationality law. There shall be included in this law provisions framed so as to facilitate the acquisition of Palestinian citizenship by Jews who take up their permanent residence in Palestine. 

"ARTICLE 8.

"The privileges and immunities of foreigners, including the benefits of consular jurisdiction and protection as formerly enjoyed by Capitulation or usage in the Ottoman Empire, shall not be applicable in Palestine. "Unless the Powers whose nationals enjoyed the aforementioned privileges and immunities on the 1st August, 1914, shall have previously renounced the right to their re-establishment, or shall have agreed to their non-application for a specified period, these privileges and immunities shall, at the expiration of the mandate, be immediately re-established in their entirety or with such modifications as may have been agreed upon between the Powers concerned. 

"ARTICLE 9.

"The Mandatory shall be responsible for seeing that the judicial system established in Palestine shall assure to foreigners, as well as to natives, a complete guarantee of their rights. "Respect for the personal status of the various peoples and communities and for their religious interests shall be fully guaranteed. In particular, the control and administration of Wakfs shall be exercised in accordance with religious law and the dispositions of the founders. 

"ARTICLE 10.

"Pending the making of special extradition agreements relating to Palestine, the extradition treaties in force between the Mandatory and other foreign Powers shall apply to Palestine. 

"ARTICLE 11.

"The Administration of Palestine shall take all necessary measures to safeguard the interests of the community in connection with the development of the country, and, subject to any international obligations accepted by the Mandatory, shall have full power to provide for public ownership or control of any of the natural resources of the country or of the public works, services and utilities established or to be established therein. It shall introduce a land system appropriate to the needs of the country, having regard, among other things, to the desirability of promoting the close settlement and intensive cultivation of the land. " The Administration may arrange with the Jewish agency mentioned in article 4 to construct or operate, upon fair and equitable terms, any public works, services and utilities, and to develop any of the natural resources of the country, in so far as these matters are not directly undertaken by the Administration. Any such arrangements shall provide that no profits distributed by such agency, directly or indirectly, shall exceed a reasonable rate of interest on the capital, and any further profits shall be utilized by it for the benefit of the country in a manner approved by the Administration.

"ARTICLE 12.

"The Mandatory shall be entrusted with the control of the foreign relations of Palestine and the right to issue exequaturs to consuls appointed by foreign Powers. He shall also be entitled to afford diplomatic and consular protection to citizens of Palestine when outside its territorial limits. 

"ARTICLE 13.

"All responsibility in connection with the Holy Places and religious buildings or sites in Palestine, including that of pre- serving existing rights and of securing free access to th6 Holy Places, religious buildings and sites and the free exercise of worship, while ensuring the requirements of public order and decorum, is assumed by the Mandatory, who shall be responsible solely to the League of Nations in all matters connected therewith, provided that nothing in this article shall prevent- the Mandatory from entering into such arrangements as he may deem reasonable with the Administration for the purpose of carrying the provisions of this article into effect; and provided also that nothing in this mandate shall be construed as conferring upon the Mandatory authority to interfere with the fabric or the management of purely Muslim sacred shrines, the immunities of which are guaranteed. 

"ARTICLE 14.

"A special Commission shall be appointed by the Mandatory to study, define and determine the rights and claims in connection with the Holy Places and the rights and claims relating to the different religious communities in Palestine. The method of nomination, the composition and the functions of this Commission shall be submitted to the Council of the League for its approval, and the Commission shall not be appointed or enter upon its functions without the approval of the Council. 

"ARTICLE 15.

"The Mandatory shall see that complete freedom of conscience and the free exercise of all forms of worship, subject only to the maintenance of public order and morals, are ensured to all. No discrimination of any kind shall be made between the inhabitants of Palestine on the ground of race, religion or language. No person shall be excluded from Palestine on the sole ground of his religious belief. "The right of each community to maintain its own schools for the education of its own members in its own language, while conforming to such educational requirements of a general nature as the Administration may impose, shall not be denied or impaired. 

"ARTICLE 16.

"The Mandatory shall be responsible for exercising such slipper- vision over religious or eleemosynary bodies of all faiths in Palestine as may be required for the maintenance of public order and good government. Subject to such supervision, no measures shall be taken in Palestine to obstruct or interfere with the enterprise of such bodies or to discriminate against any representative or member of them on the ground of his religion or nationality.

"ARTICLE 17.

"The Administration of Palestine may organize on a voluntary basis the forces necessary for the preservation of peace and order, and also for the defense of the country, subject, however, to the supervision of the Mandatory, but shall not use them for purposes other than those above specified save with the consent of the Mandatory. Except for such purposes, no military, naval or air forces shall be raised or maintained by the Administration of Palestine. "Nothing in this article shall preclude the Administration of Palestine from contributing to the cost of the maintenance of the forces of the Mandatory in Palestine. "The Mandatory shall be entitled at all times to use the roads, railways and ports of Palestine for the movement of armed forces and the carriage of fuel and supplies. 

"ARTICLE 18.

"The Mandatory shall see that there is no discrimination in Palestine against the nationals of any State member of the League of Nations (including companies incorporated under its laws) as compared with those of the Mandatory or of any foreign State in matters concerning taxation, commerce or navigation the exercise of industries or professions, or in the treatment o? merchant vessels or civil aircraft. Similarly, there shall be no discrimination in Palestine against goods originating in or destined for any of the said States, and there shall be freedom 'of transit under equitable conditions across the mandated area. "Subject as aforesaid and to the other provisions of this mandate, the Administration of Palestine may, on the advice of the Mandatory, impose such taxes and customs duties as it may consider necessary, and take such steps as it may think best to promote the development of the natural resources of the country and to safeguard the interests of the population. It may also, on the advice of the Mandatory, conclude a special customs agreement with any State the territory of which in 1914 was wholly included in Asiatic Turkey or Arabia. 

"ARTICLE 19.

The Mandatory shall adhere on behalf of the Administration of Palestine to any general international conventions already existing, or which may be concluded hereafter with the approval of the League of Nations, respecting the slave traffic, the traffic in arms and ammunition, or the-traffic in drugs, or relating to commercial equality, freedom of transit and navigation, aerial navigation and postal, telegraphic and wireless communication or literary, artistic or industrial property. 

"ARTICLE 20.

"The Mandatory shall co-operate on behalf of the Administration of Palestine, so far as religious, social and other conditions may permit, in the execution of any common policy adopted by the League of Nations for preventing and combating disease, including diseases of plants and animals. 

"ARTICLE 21.

"The Mandatory shall secure the enactment within twelve months from this date, and shall ensure the execution of a Law of Antiquities based on the following rules. This law shall ensure equality of treatment in the matter of excavations and archaeological research to the nationals of all State 3 members of the League of Nations. "

(1) "'Antiquity' means any construction or any product of human activity earlier than the year A. D. 1700. "

(2) "The law for the protection of antiquities shall proceed by encouragement rather than by threat. "Any person who, having discovered an antiquity without being furnished for the authorization referred to in paragraph 5, reports the same to an official of the competent Department, shall be rewarded according to the value of the discovery. "

(3) "No antiquity may be disposed of except to the competent Department, unless this Department renounces the acquisition of any such antiquity. "No. antiquity may leave the country without an export license from the said Department."

(4) "Any person who maliciously or negligently destroys or damages an antiquity shall be liable to a penalty to be fixed. "

(5) "No clearing of ground or digging with the object of finding antiquities shall be permitted, under penalty of fine, except to persons authorized by the competent Department. "

(6) "Equitable terms shall be fixed for expropriation, temporary or permanent, of lands which might be of historical or archaeological interest."

(7) "Authorization to excavate shall only be granted to persons who show sufficient guarantees of archaeological experience. The Administration of Palestine shall not, in granting these authorizations, act in such a way as to exclude scholars of any nation without good grounds."

(8) "The proceeds of excavations may be divided between the excavator and the competent Department in a proportion fixed by that Department. If division seems impossible for scientific reasons, the excavator shall receive a fair indemnity in lieu of a part of the find.

"ARTICLE 22.

"English, Arabic and Hebrew shall be the official languages of Palestine. Any statement or inscription in Arabic on stamps or money in Palestine shall be repeated in Hebrew, and any statement or inscription in Hebrew shall be repeated in Arabic. 

"ARTICLE 23.

"The Administration of Palestine shall recognize the holy days of the respective communities in Palestine as legal days of rest for the members of such communities. 

"ARTICLE 24.

Post, p. 2191. "The Mandatory shall make to the Council of the League of Nations an annual report to the satisfaction of the Council as to the measures taken during the year to carry out the provisions of the mandate. Copies of all laws and regulations promulgated or issued during the year shall be communicated with the report. 

"ARTICLE 25.

"In the territories lying between the Jordan and the eastern boundary of Palestine as ultimately determined, the Mandatory shall be entitled, with the consent of the Council of the League of Nations, to postpone or withhold application of such provisions of this mandate as he may consider inapplicable to the existing local conditions, and to make such provision for the administration of the territories as he may consider suitable to those conditions, provided that no action shall be taken which is inconsistent with the provisions of articles 15, 16 and 18. 

"ARTICLE 26.

"The Mandatory agrees that if any dispute whatever should arise between the Mandatory and another member of the League of Nations relating to the interpretation or the application of the provisions of the mandate, such dispute, -if it cannot be settled by negotiation, shall be submitted to the Permanent Court of International Justice provided for by article 14 of the Covenant of the League of Nations. 

"ARTICLE 27.

"The consent of the Council of the League of Nations is required for any modification of the terms of this mandate. 

"ARTICLE 28.

"In the event of the termination of the mandate hereby conferred upon the Mandatory, the Council of the League of Nations shall make such arrangements as may be deemed necessary for safeguarding in perpetuity, under guarantee of the League, the rights secured by articles 13 and 14, and shall use its influence for securing, under the guarantee of the League that the Government of Palestine will fully honor the financial obligations legitimately incurred by the Administration of Palestine during the period Of the mandate, including the rights of public servants to pensions or gratuities.

"The present instrument shall be deposited in original in the archives of the League of Nations, and certified copies shall be forwarded by the Secretary-General of the League of Nations to all members of the League. "Done at London, the 24th day of July, 1922;" and

Effect of Mandate for Palestine

Whereas the mandate in the above terms came into force on the 29th September, 1923; and

Participation of United States of America in war against Germany

Whereas the United States of America, by participating of in the war against Germany, contributed to her defeat and the defeat of her Allies, and to the renunciation of the rights and titles of her Allies in the territory transferred by them but has not ratified the Covenant of the League of Nations embodied in the Treaty of Versailles; and

Contracting Powers

Whereas the Government of the United States and the Government of His Britannic Majesty desire to reach a definite understanding with respect to the rights of the two Governments and their respective nationals in Palestine;

Plenipotentiaries

The President of the United States of America and His Britannic Majesty have decided to conclude a convention to this effect, and have named as their plenipotentiaries :. The President of the United States of America: His Excellency the Honorable Frank B. Kellogg, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States at London: His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Emperor of India: The Right Honorable Joseph Austen Chamberlain, M.P., His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs: who, after having communicated to each other their respective full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed as follows – 

Recognition of the Mandate foe Palestine

ARTICLE 1.

Recognition of man- Subject to the provisions of the present convention the United date. States consents to the administration of Palestine by His Britannic Majesty, pursuant to the mandate recited above. 

Rights, etc., accorded The United States

ARTICLE 2.

The United States and its nationals shall have and enjoy all the rights and benefits secured under the terms of the mandate to members of the League of Nations and their nationals, notwithstanding the fact that the United States is not a member of the League of Nations. 

Vested American Vested property rights to be respected

ARTICLE 3.

Vested American Vested property rights in the mandated territory shall rights to be respected. be respected and in no way impaired. 

Annual Report Ante, p 2190

ARTICLE 4.

A duplicate of the annual report to be made by the Mandatory under article 24 of the mandate shall be furnished to the United States.

Maintenance of educational etc., institutions, etc., permitted national of the United States

ARTICLE 5.

Subject to the provisions of any local laws for Maintenance of public order and public morals, the nationals of the United States will be permitted freely to establish and maintain educational, philanthropic and religious institutions in the mandated territory, to receive voluntary applicants and to teach in the English language. 

ARTICLE 6.

Extradition and consular rights applicable

The extradition treaties and conventions which are, or may be, in force between the United States and Great Britain, and the provisions of any treaties which are, or may be, in force between the two countries which relate to extradition or consular rights shall apply to the mandated territory. 

Modification of mandate subject to assent of the United States

ARTICLE 7.

Nothing contained in the present convention shall be affected by any modification which may be made in the terms of the mandate, as recited above, unless such modification shall have been assented to by the United States. 

Exchange of ratifications

ARTICLE 8.

The present convention shall be ratified in accordance with the respective constitutional methods of the High Contracting Parties. The ratifications shall be exchanged in London as soon as practicable.

Effective date.

The present convention shall take effect on the date of the exchange of ratifications.

signatures.

In witness whereof, the undersigned have signed the present convention, and have hereunto affixed their seals.

Done in duplicate at London, this 31 day of December, 1924.

[SEAL] FRANK B KELLOGG Ratifications ex. [SEAL]

AND WHEREAS the said Convention has been duly ratified on: both parts, and the ratifications of the two Governments were exchanged in the city of London on the third day of December, one thousand nine hundred and twenty-five;

NOW, THEREFORE, be it known that I, Calvin Coolidge, President of the United States of America, have caused the said Convention to be made public, to the end that the same and every article and clause thereof may be observed and fulfilled with good faith by the United States and the citizens thereof.  

Done in duplicate at London, this 3rd day of December, 1924.

[SEAL] FRANK B KELLOGG Ratifications ex. [SEAL] Austen   [SEAL] FRANK B KELLOGG Ratifications ex. [SEAL] Austen Chamberlain 

AND WHEREAS the said Convention has been duly ratified on: both parts, and the ratifications of the two Governments were exchanged in the city of London on the third day of December, one thousand nine hundred and twenty-five; NOW, THEREFORE, be it known that I, Calvin Coolidge, President of the United States of America, have caused the said Convention to be made public, to the end that the same and every article and clause thereof may be observed and fulfilled with good faith by the United States and the citizens thereof.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

DONE at the city of Washington, this fifth day of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and [SEAL] twenty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and fiftieth.

Calvin Coolidge

By the President:

FRANK B KELLOGG

Secretary, of State