At first , Herzl said no to the idea , because he liked Palestine better . After the April 1903 Kishinev pogrom , in which many Jews were violently attacked in Russia , Herzl suggested to the Sixth Zionist Congress to look at the offer as a temporary way to keep Russian Jews safe . Herzl initially rejected the idea , preferring Palestine , but after the April 1903 Kishinev pogrom Herzl introduced a controversial proposal to the Sixth Zionist Congress to investigate the offer as a temporary measure for Russian Jews in danger .