Bloodshed When British Troops Leave Palestine

Northern Advocate, 11 March 1948, Page 5

Bloodshed When British Troops Leave Palestine

SHOCKING TO CONTEMPLATE . . .

LONDON, Wed. (10.30 a.m.).—“The world has almost no conception of how much blood will be shed here when the British have gone,” said Major-General H. It. Stockwell, commander oi British troops in Northern Palestine, in an interview with the British United Press correspondent at Haifa. “It is shocking for me to contemplate it.

The only way to avoid this bloodshed is to have an armed police force of at least 50,000 troops to disarm both Arabs and Jews.

Jones), moving in the House of Commons today the second reading of the Palestine Bill providing for the handing over of the Palestine mandate on May 15, said: ‘U do not believe, after our bitter and tragic experience, that the British public would tolerate any. new commitment in Palestine.” NOT RIGHT TO ASK MORE Mr Creech-Jones said Britain had tried to create conditions for continuance of orderly life in Palestine. “If the United Nations’ Palestine Commission was unable to undertake its responsibility “we would be confronted by a new situation.” Britain would withdraw with profound disappointment. The British people had given much for fulfilment of their international responsibilities; they should not be asked to endure more. "It is now for others to find, and implement, a solution which has eluded us.” AMENDMENT DEFEATED The House of Commons, by 240 votes to 30, defeated an amendment moved by a Labour member, Mr W. N. Warbey, to reject the Palestine Bill. Mr Warbey said the amendment’s sponsors (all Labour members), sup-; ported the decision to terminate the mandate, but claimed the bill provided nothing to replace British jurisdiction. Mr R. A. Butler, earlier, said the Opposition supported the bill “with heavy hearts" because no other course was wise. He added that Mr Creech Jones had not given a satisfactory account of what the position would be when Britain handed over her responsibilities. AIDED ARAB GUERILLAS Reuters Jerusalem correspondent reports that two British policemen who absconded with arms to join the Arab guerillas were killed at Nablus yesterday while trying to render safe a lorryload of explosives. Arabs said that Jews infiltrated the lorry into Nabi'us. The Arabs buried the two men “with full military honours.” British police who went to Neve Yaacov, four miles north of Jerusalem, where Arabs and Jew's were engaged in fighting, arrested three British constables absent without leave.

“It would take such a force six months to do the job.” said General Stockwell.

The Colonial Secretary (Mr Creech-

The police found them in an armoured car.