The Palestine Government has not yet been authorized by Great Britain to announce temporary suspension of Jewish immigration into the Holy Land, it was revealed today by Dr. Chaim Weizmann, president of the World Zionist Organization and the Jewish Agency for Palestine.
Dr. Weizmann said he had been informed from London that an official announcement, if any, of such action was not expected before next Wednesday.
The office of the Actions Committee of the World Zionist Organization, now in special session here, announced there was no question of suspension action by Friday, as reported from Jerusalem last night by a news agency.
The report, according to committee members, emanated from Arab sources and was definitely not authentic. However, they expressed the fear that the next few days may bring the most serious developments with respect to immigration.
Dr. Weizmann announced the Jewish Agency for Palestine intended to fight to the end to prevent suspension.
“The executive,” he said, “will do everything in its power to fight against stoppage of Jewish immigration.”
ASKS 2-MONTH FUND CAMPAIGN
A report on the economic damages resulting from the nineteen-week-old disorders was presented at today’s session of the committee by Eliezer Kaplan, treasurer of the Palestine Executive of the Jewish Agency.
Mr. Kaplan said great sums would be required to hold the Jewish economic position and safeguard Jewish lives and property. He urged the Actions Committee to proclaim a two-months campaign for funds to continue the upbuilding of the Jewish national home and provide safety.
Jewish buying power has decreased and purchasing is now restricted to essentials, Mr. Kaplan reported. He charged the Government with failing to meet Jewish requirements for road construction in certain districts where roads are necessary for security purposes. Such roads, he said, would have to be constructed from funds raised by the proposed campaign.
The Jewish Agency for Palestine expended through the Palestine Foundation Fund $1,250,000 for colonization work, including $750,000 for settlement of German Jews, Mr. Kaplan reported.
He revealed that when current Palestine disturbances broke out last April the Agency had been in the midst of negotiations bearing “most importantly” on the Jewish homeland work, which were broken off for a time.
The work of building the Jewish homeland, has not been interrupted for a day despite the disorders, he said.
In reference to Palestine’s economic position, he stated that “though there is a heavy depression in the country, there cannot be any talk of a crisis.”
USSISHKIN STRESSES LAND-BUYING
Menachem Mendel Ussishkin, world president of the Jewish National Fund, stressed the need for buying land in another report to the committee.
America was first and Germany second in contributions to the Jewish National Fund, land-purchasing agency in Palestine, he reported. The total income for the year was $2,000,000, representing a 16 per cent increase over the previous year, he said.
Members of the Jewish State Party, the Mizrachi Organization and the “B” section of the General Zionists, formed a political bloc to demand formation of a special political committee to supplement the Jewish Agency’s political department, with full rights to decide on issues affecting Palestine.
BEN-GURION ASKS UNITED FRONT
An appeal for a united Zionist front to safeguard Jewish rights in the Holy Land was sounded by David Ben-Gurion, chairman of the Palestine Executive of the Jewish Agency.
Previous to his three-hour speech, which touched upon Jewish relations with the Arabs and the British Royal Commission, representatives of Zionist factions agreed that the expected stoppage of immigration into Palestine, even temporarily, would be a violation of Jewish rights. Mr. Ben-Gurion’s address wound up the political debate.
Delegates agreed that there was a necessity for activating Jewish masses the world over and for raising funds to strengthen the Jewish community in Palestine.
Mr. Ussishkin announced formation of a special political committee of eighteen to take up the political questions raised in the previous debate.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
