Jewish Army, National Home, Discussed in Both Houses of Parliament

Britain’s failure to allow the formation of a Jewish army and the creation of a Jewish National Home in Palestine were the subjects of prolonged discussions in both houses of Parliament today. In Commons, Prime Minister Churchill evaded a direct reply to the question posed to him by Geoffrey Manders, as to whether the British Government associated itself with Premier Smuts Balfour Day declaration on the necessity to maintain the policy of a Jewish National Home in Palestine. Replying only to a section of Manders’ question Churchill stated that he would be glad to place Smuts’ address in the library of the House of Commons, as Manders had requested, but he refused to elaborate further.

In the House of Lords, Lord Moyne, the Colonial Secretary declared that he was unable to say whether the question of a Jewish army would be reopened. Lord Croft, Under-Secretary for War, announced that at the end of October there were 7,985 Palestine Jews with the British forces in the Middle East, but that the creation of a Jewish division is impracticable at the present time.