San Remo Conference: catalyst for Jewish and Arab independence

The San Remo Conference held on 24 / 25 April 1920 marked the beginning of self-determination for both the Jewish People after 3000 years of dispersion and the Arabs after 400 years of Ottoman rule.

Among those participating in the Conference - indicating its historic importance and the significant decisions it would be tasked with making:

• United States of America: Mr. Robert Underwood Johnson, American Ambassador in Rome;
• British Empire:The Right Hon. D. Lloyd George, Prime Minister; The Right Hon; the Earl Curzon of Kedleston, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs;
• France: M. Millerand, President of the French Council;
• Italy:Signor Nitti, Prime Minister (in the Chair);
• Japan: Mr. Matsui

The Minutes of the Meeting were headed:

MINUTES OF PALESTINE MEETING OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL OF THE

ALLIED POWERS HELD IN SAN REMO AT THE VILLA DEVACHAN

APRIL 24. 1920

However the agenda covered far more than Palestine – dealing with:

...the question of mandates for those territories which had been Mandates formerly under Turkish domination and which it was proposed should, in the future be administered by the various Principal Allied Powers.

Those territories were identified as Mesopotamia and Syria as well as Palestine.

San Remo granted the Arabs independence in: