ABSTRACT
Briefing General Maxwell on the contents of Hussein's letter, Clayton confirmed that the Sharif had agreed to the exclusion of Mersina and Alexandretta and maintained that the Vilayets of Beirut and Aleppo were "Arab, and should remain under Moslem Government"; but remained silent with regard to Palestine. Clayton almost despaired of reconciling the Palestinians to the Sharifians, as well as to the Zionists. On the eve of Hogarth's departure to Jeddah, Clayton confided to C. E. Wilson how anxious he was about the effect of Turkish propaganda on the Arab mind in connection with the Zionist movement. He hoped, however, that the Sharif was "well enough conversed in world politics" to appreciate the advantages of cooperation with the Jews. Hussein's lack of concern over the Balfour Declaration and Zionist aims was clearly demonstrated early in January 1918, during a series of conversations with David Hogarth, who came especially to Jeddah to reassure the King.
