IMMIGRATION BAN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25964, 3 October 1945, Page 5

IMMIGRATION BAN

LIFTING SOUGHT BY JEWS THE PALESTINE PROBLEM (N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent) LONDON. Oct. 1. “ Extremely grave ” is the description given here of the position m Palestine, where last-minute moves are being taken to avert an armed clash which might spread to other Middle East countries.

The Jews are pressing for abandonment of the policy laid down in the British White Paper of 1939 and for the immediate admission of at least 100,000 Jewish refugees into Palestine. The White Paper declared it was not a part of Britain’s policy that Palestine should become a Jewish State, and that after limited immigration over five years the British Government would not be justified in facilitating further development of a Jewish national home. Before the election the British Labour Party declared itself in favour of abrogating the White Paper. Dr Weizmann, president of the World Zionist organisation, has been asking why the party has not fulfilled its pledges. He will see Mr Bevin this week.

President Truman has written to Mr Attlee asking him to admit displaced Jews from Germany. Palestinian Arabs outnumber Palestinian Jews by two to one. They oppose the lifting of the immigration ban, and have the support of Moslems in the Middle East and India.

It is reported that the Jewish defence organisation has a force of 80,000 men armed with rifles, tommy guns, machine guns, and some artillery and armoured cars. It is not anticipated

that this body will rise against the British, but that attempts will be made to land Jews from ships carrying refugees from Europe. If a clash occurs it is feared that the repercussions in the Middle East might be widespread. An indication of the serious view taken by the Government was the holding of a full meeting of the Labour Party executive last week to discuss the position and the Goverment plan, and also recent conferences held by Mr Bevin with British Ambassadors to Middle East countries. Lord Gort recently returned to Jerusalem from London.