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800 Exiles Land on Tel Aviv Beach As Throng Watches

August 23, 1939
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The Greek steamer Parita, flying the Zionist flag, today landed more than 800 Jewish refugees on the seashore of this all Jewish city in full view of thousands of spectators. Police cordoned off the beach.

The small 180-ton vessel had apparently successfully run the blockade of the Palestine coastline maintained by the British coast guard and warships to keep steamers from illegally landing their refugee passengers.

The Parita last week was reported to have tried unsuccessfully to disembark its passengers at Smyrna, Turkey, after having wandered the Mediterranean for weeks in search of a port that would accept them. A riot occurred on the ship when the Turkish authorities ordered it to put out to sea three of the refugees were reportedly killed.

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