Theodor Herzl Reports to His Leadership the Failure of Negotiations With Turkey

Founder of Zionism whose work ultimately resulted in the establishment of the State of Israel. Within a year after the First Zionist Congress in 1897, Herzl began large-scale political campaign activity in Europe on behalf of the supreme Zionist goal – a Jewish state. However, after failing to interest the German Kaiser in his program, he was convinced that conditions to establish a sovereign Jewish state in the Land of Israel had not yet been created.

Herzl's primary objective then became to gain a charter for Palestine which would allow immigration of European Jews and incorporate public and legal guarantees for the Jewish community there. Until 1917, Palestine was part of the Ottoman Empire and was ruled by the Turks. By 1901, considering that the Zionist movement's diplomatic achievements would therefore depend upon Turkey, Herzl’s strategy centered on a plan to gain the approval of Sultan Abdul-Hamid II.

On May 15, 1901, an audience with the Sultan took place, but Herzl did not mention his proposed charter then. At a meeting held a few days later with the Sultan’s representatives, he propounded the charter for the first time.

Turkey's heavy debts to the European powers formed the crux of Herzl's negotiations at court, and he put forward the idea that the Zionist movement could assist Turkey in paying its debts, in return for which the Zionists would be granted a charter for Jewish settlement under Turkish aegis. Negotiations seemed promising, and in early 1902 Herzl accepted an invitation from the Sultan’s government and returned to Turkey on February 14.

Herzl’s diary picks up the story from here. ”February 15. ‘All right, let us establish on both sides what is involved here’, said the Sultan’s representative, Izzet. ‘His Imperial Majesty is prepared to open his Empire to Jewish refugees from all countries, on condition that they agree to become Ottoman subjects with all the duties that this imposes, under our laws and our military service.’ ‘Exactly!’, I replied. He continued: ‘Before entering our country they must formally resign their previous nationality and become Ottoman subjects. On this condition they may establish themselves in any of our provinces except – at first – Palestine.’ I did not bat an eyelash, also understood at once that this was only the first offer and that they would be open for bargaining. ‘In return’, Izzet went on, ‘His Imperial Majesty asks you to form a syndicate for the consolidation of the public debt…’ February 17.

Thereupon Izzet took my letter to the Sultan. While we were waiting, Ibrahim and Ghalib raved about the happy conditions to come: how it would be when the Jews came. They dreamed aloud of the improvement of agriculture and industry, of banks which would not serve foreign interests, ect. But then Izzet returned with the Sultan's decision, and it was unfavorable. The Sultan is willing to open his Empire to all Jews who become Turkish subjects, but the regions to be settled are to be decided each time by the government, and Palestine is to be excluded…Acharter without Palestine! I refused at once.” And so the meeting ended.

Printed Circular Letter Signed, Vienna, February 22, 1902, in German, to a member of the Action Committee of the World Zionist Organization, and headed"Strictly Confidential,” containing his report on the negotiations. In it, he obviously sought to be frank without seeming too discouraging, but ends with a demand for secrecy so that he could control public impressions. "After a four day stay in Constantinople, Dr. Herzl and J. Covan have returned. As you already know from Der Welt, [he] had accepted an invitation from the Sultan and was the Sultan's guest during his visit. The negotiations could not reach a final result because the offers made by the Turkish side did not entirely fit our program. Under such circumstances Dr. Herzl felt unable to accept. In the meantime, the relations remained splendid and the negotiations will be continued. By bringing this to your attention, we explicitly remind you that you are duty-bound and authorize you to communicate only the following, if required:”

At this point, the recipient removed Herzl’s statement of talking points from the bottom of the letter, likely so as to be sure to get them right (perhaps to release to the press). Courtesy of the Zionist Archives in Israel, we have obtained a copy of the complete page one of the circular letter without the excission. The statement indicated that during his recent visit to Constantinople as a guest of the Sultan, Herzl found that the attitude of the Turks to the Jewish people was excellent and that “the negotiations are on a good path.”

He then urged Zionists to make even greater efforts to sell shares in the Jewish Colonial Bank and raise money for the National Fund. This was a spare report, and although couched in diplomatic language, would have indicated to those closely following the negotiations that little had been accomplished. Herzl continued by denouncing leaks of information, saying that some committee members had in the past unfortunately transmitted such information, but that now discretion was needed. The letter is completed on page two: “Nobody should feel insulted [by his secrecy requirements], because it is evenly targeted at everybody, and in brotherly mind. But we need to add that should an indiscretion be committed by a member of the grand A[ction] C[ommittee], at this or any other occasion, we will communicate that person's name in a circular…and in the future will not send circulars to the same person." It is interesting to see how Herzl sought to manage the public message and perception at this crucial juncture.

Although still publicly maintaining that relations with the Sultan remained “splendid,” at this point Herzl realized that the Zionist negotiations with Turkey had reached a dead end. By July 1902, he had decided to abandon his quest for a charter from the Turks. Instead, he would turn to the British, seeking to found a Jewish colony in a British possession. And that approach would, indeed, in time, bear fruit.