Cairo Conference (1921) facts for kids

A group of British officials with lion cubs during the conference.

The 1921 Cairo Conference was a series of important meetings held by British leaders. It took place in Cairo and Jerusalem from March 12 to 30, 1921. The main goal was to discuss and solve problems in the Middle East after World War I. British officials wanted to create a clear plan for how they would manage the region.

This secret conference helped shape British control in areas like Iraq and Transjordan. Winston Churchill, who was the new Colonial Secretary, felt that by giving leadership roles to the sons of the Sharif of Mecca, Britain was keeping its promises to the Arabs.

A big challenge for the conference was to sort out earlier agreements that seemed to conflict. These included the McMahon–Hussein Correspondence (1915), the Sykes–Picot Agreement (1916), and the Balfour Declaration (1917). Churchill gathered British military and civil leaders in Cairo to work through these issues. It was a new way for the Colonial Office to solve problems more quickly.

The most important decision from the conference was the "Sharifian Solution". This plan meant that Abdullah bin Hussein would rule the land east of the Jordan River, known as Transjordan. His brother, Faisal, would become king of the new country of Iraq. Both would get guidance and money from Great Britain. It was also decided that Lebanon and Syria would stay under French control. Britain would continue to manage Palestine and support the idea of a Jewish homeland there. The conference also recognized Husain as King of the Hejaz and Abdul Aziz ibn Saud as ruler of the Nejd in the Arabian Desert.

Why the Conference Happened
The Meetings in Cairo
Meetings in Jerusalem
What Happened Next
Key People at the Conference
See also

Why the Conference Happened

After World War I, the British had taken control of Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq). In 1920, a major uprising broke out there, and many British soldiers were hurt. Some people in Britain wanted to end British control.

T.E. Lawrence, a famous British officer who had worked with Arab leaders, pushed the British government to support Emir Feisal. Feisal had tried to create a kingdom with Damascus as its capital, but the French army stopped him. In late 1920, Feisal's older brother, Abdullah, arrived in Ma'an with many followers. He announced his plan to attack the French in Syria and Lebanon and help his brother get his power back.

Churchill's job as the new Colonial Secretary was to calm things down in Iraq and meet the wishes of the Husain family. He made Lawrence his special helper. They met with Feisal in London before the main conference.

Most decisions about Iraq's future were already made in London. Feisal was to become king of Iraq, and the people there would vote to approve him. Once king, he would sign a friendship treaty with Britain. A big change was decided: the Royal Air Force would take over security in the area instead of the army. By the time the conference started, the British army had stopped the revolt in Mesopotamia. This had cost a lot of money and lives. The new plan was expected to save money.

The Meetings in Cairo

The conference began on March 12, 1921, at the Semiramis Hotel in Cairo. Many important military and civil leaders from Palestine and Mesopotamia attended. Only two Arabs, who were part of the Mesopotamian government, were present. Churchill jokingly called the two-week gathering "Forty Thieves." In his free time, he enjoyed painting and working on his book about World War I.

The meetings covered three main areas: Iraq, Palestine (which included Transjordan), and the Persian Gulf. They also discussed law, money, the size of the British army, and plans for a new government council. A group of Arab leaders from Palestine met Churchill briefly in Cairo. He refused to discuss politics then but agreed to meet them later in Jerusalem.

The situation in Transjordan was tricky because Abdullah's army had arrived in Amman. Many rebels and refugees from Syria were also there. Plus, some Jewish leaders believed Transjordan was part of the promised Jewish homeland. Churchill held several meetings with Abdullah in Jerusalem on his way back to London.

The only public announcement about the conference's decisions was a report Churchill gave to the British Parliament on June 14, 1921. It didn't get much attention from the news.

Meetings in Jerusalem

On March 24, 1921, the British officials continued their work in Jerusalem. In Gaza, a large crowd protested against British rule in Palestine when Churchill's train arrived. He met with the mayor and other leaders, who gave him a list of demands. Churchill and Herbert Samuel, thinking the crowds were welcoming them, waved. But the crowds were actually shouting anti-Jewish slogans.

Meeting with Emir Abdullah

On March 28, Churchill met with Emir Abdullah several times. Abdullah had already settled in Amman and was planning to move further north. Churchill suggested making Transjordan an Arab province with an Arab governor. This governor would accept British control and report to the British High Commissioner for Palestine and Transjordan. Abdullah wanted to control all of Palestine and report to the High Commissioner. He also suggested joining Transjordan with the land promised to his brother (Iraq). Churchill said no to both ideas.

Abdullah worried about a Jewish kingdom west of the Jordan River. Churchill explained that it was not planned for "hundreds and thousands of Jews" to quickly move in and take over. He said Jewish immigration would be very slow, and the rights of the non-Jewish people would be protected. He also stated that Transjordan would not be part of Palestine's administration. This meant the parts of the mandate about a Jewish homeland would not apply there. Hebrew would not be an official language in Transjordan, and its local government would not have to promote Jewish immigration. Herbert Samuel added that there was "no question of setting up a Jewish Government there." He also said, "No land would be taken from any Arab, nor would the Moslem religion be touched in any way."

The British suggested that if Abdullah could stop Syrian nationalists from acting against the French, it would help his brother become king of Mesopotamia. It might even lead to Abdullah himself becoming the ruler of Syria in Damascus. In the end, Abdullah agreed to stop his advance towards the French. He would manage the land east of the Jordan River for a six-month trial period. During this time, he would receive £5,000 per month from Britain.

Meeting with Palestinian Arab Leaders

After talking with Emir Abdullah, Churchill met with a group of Palestinian Muslim and Christian leaders. They were led by Musa al-Husayni. They gave him a paper strongly protesting British policies in Palestine. They complained that Britain had "sold their country to Zionists" because of money problems from the war. They also said that Britain had appointed a Jewish High Commissioner, even though most people he governed were not Jewish. They also pointed out that a Jewish person, who was a strong Zionist, was given the important job of Legal Secretary.

The leaders questioned if the Balfour Declaration was legally valid. They argued that if historical claims were enough, Arabs should claim Spain because they once conquered it. They criticized high taxes and trade competition, warning that Zionists would control the market. They also protested against land being bought up and expensive projects that hired Jewish immigrants at higher salaries for less work, which hurt public education. They complained that "the highest posts with fat salaries are given to the Jews," while local officials, who knew the area better, got lower positions and less pay.

The group also objected to the draft plan for Mandatory Palestine. They felt it did not add any new rights for Arabs, but it allowed Britain to give Crown lands (public lands) to Jews, even though these lands were not Britain's to give. They said, "On the other hand, the Jews have been granted a true advantage, namely, that of becoming our rulers." They asked for the Balfour Declaration to be cancelled, for an elected parliament to be set up, and for Jewish immigration to stop.

Churchill replied that their paper was biased and had many untrue statements. He said the Balfour Declaration was a settled fact because other Allied Powers had approved it. He believed a Jewish National Home would be "good for the world, good for the Jews and good for the British Empire... good for the Arabs who dwell in Palestine." He stressed that the Balfour Declaration spoke of "the establishment in Palestine of a National Home for the Jews," not that Palestine would become the National Home for the Jews. He said it "does not mean that it will cease to be the National Home of other people, or that a Jewish Government will be set up to dominate the Arab people." He added that the British government had "a strong friendship and desire for co-operation with the Arab race as a whole." Churchill then explained that Samuel was appointed High Commissioner because of his skills and experience. Since Samuel was Jewish, he could be fair to everyone without being accused of being against his own people. Samuel then spoke about the benefits Jewish immigration brought to Palestine. He refused to promise any changes to British policy.

Meeting with the Jewish National Council

The Jewish National Council of Palestine, representing the Jewish people in Palestine, also gave a paper to Winston Churchill. They thanked Britain for supporting "the rebuilding of the Jewish National Home." They hoped this would happen by giving Palestine its "historical frontiers." They stated that their efforts to rebuild the Jewish National Home, which was a small area compared to all Arab lands, did not take away Arabs' rights. They praised the good results of Jewish settlement over the past forty years. They asked to be in charge of developing public lands and unused lands, and the country's natural resources.

Churchill said the British government was "perfectly convinced that the cause of Zionism is one which carries with it much that is good for the whole world." He believed it would bring "prosperity and contentment and advancement to the Arab population of this country." He felt that the Jewish leaders were driven by justice and idealism, and their work would benefit the whole country. He warned Zionists to expect criticism from the majority population. The Colonial Secretary ended by saying he had read their paper "with great interest and sympathy."

Churchill's Speech at the Hebrew University

On March 29, 1921, Churchill gave a speech at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He shared that he had felt sympathy for Zionism for twelve years, ever since he met Jewish people in Manchester. He repeated that a Jewish National Home would bring blessings to the whole world, the Jewish people, and Great Britain. He said the future of Palestine would depend on the Jewish people there. By taking the right steps, Palestine could become a paradise, "a land flowing with milk and honey, in which sufferers of all races and religions will find a rest from their sufferings."

What Happened Next

T.E. Lawrence believed that Churchill had "made straight all the tangle" and that Britain had kept its promises "in letter and spirit." He felt this was done without harming the British Empire or the people involved. However, one of Lawrence's biographers noted that the conference "heralded a period of unrest in the Middle East which had scarcely been surpassed even under Ottoman rule."

Key People at the Conference

Winston Churchill - The British Colonial Secretary
T.E. Lawrence - Special Advisor to the Colonial Office
Maj. Hubert Young - From the Colonial Office
Herbert Samuel - British High Commissioner for Palestine
Sir Percy Cox - British High Commissioner for Iraq
Gertrude Bell - Advisor for the High Commissioner of Iraq
Ja'afar al'Askari - Minister of Defence in Iraq's first government
Air Marshal Sir Hugh Trenchard - Head of the British Air Force
Air Vice-Marshal Sir Geoffrey Salmond - Air Officer Commanding Middle East Air Force
Sasun Hasqail - Minister of Finance in Iraq's first government
Geoffrey Francis Archer - Governor of British Somalia
Field Marshal Edmund Allenby - British High Commissioner for Egypt