ADSS 9.94 Godfrey to Maglione on Jewish children

This is the first of four documents highlighting Vatican resistance to Jewish emigration to Palestine. The texts need  no further comment.

ADSS 9.94  William Godfrey, Apostolic Delegate, UK to Cardinal Maglione

Reference: Telegram 271 (AES 2701/43)  

Location and date:  London, 13.03.1943 @ 1520 hrs, arrived Rome @ 1800.

Summary statement: The British government will permit the transport of Jewish children to Palestine.

Language: Italian

Text:

The Aliyah Association for Jewish immigration informed (?) the Holy Father (?) that the British government will permit Jewish children from all the states of Europe to travel to Palestine; they implore the help of the Holy See to help with the obtaining of visas. (2)

Notes of Domenico Tardini

13.03.1943.

The Holy See has never given approval for the project to make Palestine a Jewish home.  But, unfortunately, England did not spring … [sic]

And the question of the Holy Places?

Palestine is now holier for Catholics …[than] for Jews (3)

14.03.1943

After audience with Maglione:  Of interest for Slovakia. (4)

Cross references: 

(1)  Aliyah – Hebrew “ascent”.  Term used to describe immigration to Israel.

(2)  See ADSS 9.171.

(3) See ADSS 9.191 where those reasons are more fully explained.  At almost the same time Chaim Weizmann said during a meeting with officials of the US State Department: “ … I affirm again before you that Palestine will never be an Arab country”. (FRUS 1943, IV, p762).  But in the following September, President Roosevelt put forward his preferred solution “toward a wider use of the idea of trusteeship for Palestine – of making Palestine a real Holy Land for all three religions …” (Ibid , p816).

(4)  See ADSS 9.87, 89.