TENSION MOUNTING

Evening Star, Issue 25868, 12 August 1946, Page 5

TENSION MOUNTING

Situation in Palestine Flare-up Over Illegal Immigrants (Rec, noon.) JERUSALEM, August 11. The R.A.F. sighted two ships believed to be carrying illegal immigrants to Haifa. Destroyers went out to intercept them. Correspondents agree that the tension is mounting hoiirly throughout Palestine. The authorities have clamped down the strictest security measures thus far imposed, A rumour »S spreading that immigrants from the ships already tied up at Haifa will to-morrow be shipped to Cyprus. The Haganah has sworn to try and stop such a move.

Another ship believed to be carrying illegal immigrants is officially reported as approaching the Palestine coast. The R.AF. sighted the ship headed for Haifa. 4 destroyer went out to investigate, The ship is reported to he named the Henrietta Szold, after a deceased American Jewess, who organised the movement for bringing Jewish children from Europe to Palestine. .More than 1,400 illegal immigrants *till remain on board two of the 10 illegal immigrant ships which in the past fortnight arrived at Palestine ports. An unconfirmed report states that several thousand British reiuforce r aients have arrived at Haifa, Reuter’s Valeria correspondent says it is reported that operations connected with Palestine were believed to he the main topic of discussion at the week-end between the Coipmander-ipr Chief,. Mediterranean, Admiral Sir Algernon Willis; the flag officer for the East Mediterranean, Vice-Admiral (3ir William Tennent, and the senior naval

officer, Middle East, Rear-Admiral McCall. The Voipe of Israel appealed' to the Navy “ Not to besmirch the glorious traditions of Nelson and Trafalgar by hunting defenceless refugee ships.” Labourers at the Famagusta immigration camp (Cyprus) have been ordered to stand by at 4.30 a.m. tomorrow, following unofficial reports that sis ships were expected, says Reuter’s Famagusta correspondent., Newspaper men earlier flocked to Famagusta “on a report that a batch of Jewish illegal immigrants would be arriving to-morrow. Naval authorities. are reported to have reoeived a signal): “ Have made contact with ships sailing parallel,” but the number of ships has not been given. Two Z craft (shallow draught general purpose vessels) were then hastuv loaded with 100 tons of fuel and oil, which might mean that the ships are small and likely to lack fuel, or that the Z craft intended stopping them before the three-mile limit, refuelling them, disembarking the passengers, and sending the ships off.