August 8th, 1903
Witte – Russian Minister of Finance told Theodor Herzl:
But it must be admitted that the Jews do provide reason enough for hostility. There is a characteristic arrogance about them. Yet most of them are poor, and because they are poor they are dirty and make an offensive impression. They also engage in all sorts of nasty pursuits, like pimping and usury. So that the friends of the Jews find it hard to come to their defense.
Therefore, Palestine was to become the removal place of the Russian Jews that the Russian government wanted to get rid of?