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US-Great Britain Convention On US Consent to the Administration of Palestine by Great Britain

US-Great Britain Convention

On US Consent to the Administration of Palestine by Great Britain

London, 3 December 1924

Whereas by the Treaty of Peace concluded with the Allied Powers, Turkey renounces all her rights and titles over Palestine;

and 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

Whereas the Principal Allied Powers have agreed to entrust the mandate for Palestine to His Britannic Majesty; and

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

[Text of Mandate for Palestine as approved by the Council of the League of Nations, reproduced verbatim here, being an integral part of the convention]

and

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

Whereas the United States of America, by participating 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

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;

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 Honourable 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 Honourable 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:—

Article 1

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

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.

Article 3

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

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.

Article 5

Subject to the provisions of any local laws for the 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

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.

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 modifications shall have been assented to by the United States.

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

In witness whereof, the undersigned have signed the present convention, and have thereunto affixed their seals. Done in duplicate at London, this 3rd day of December, 1924.

[seal]

Frank B. Kellogg

[seal]

Austen Chamberlain

Ratifications advised by the Senate, Feb. 20, 1925; ratified by the President, Mar. 2, 1925; ratified by Great Britain, Mar. 18, 1925; ratifications exchanged at London, Dec. 3, 1925; proclaimed by the President, Dec. 5, 1925

 

Source: https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1924v02/d17