American Zionist Leaders Appeal to Churchill for Immediate Arming of All Palestine Jews

Emphasising that the annihilation of 550,000 Palestine Jews is threatened by the advance of the Nazi armies towards the Suez, leaders of all Zionist groups in America today cabled a joint appeal to Winston Churchill asking for the immediate mobilisation of “all available Jewish manpower in Palestine” and reminding the British Government that Britain will be held responsible before history for denying the Jews of Palestine the right and means of self-defense.

The cable was signed by Dr. Stephen S. Wise, Chairman of the American Emergency Committee for Zionist Affairs; Judge Louis E. Levinthal, President of the Zionist Organization of America; Mrs. David de Sola Pool, President of Hadassah; Leon Gellman, President of Mizrachi, and David Wertheim, General Secretary of the Poale Zion.

“The advance of the Nazi armies towards Suez brings with it the threat of invasion to Palestine and therewith the possible annihilation of the whole of Palestine Jewry,” the cable read. “For more than two and a half years the Jews of Palestine have demanded the right to defend their country and to fight the mortal enemy of their people and of humanity alongside the armies of the United Nations. This elementary right, denied to no other people, was denied to them. The precious time during which a force of 50,000 to 60,000 Palestinian Jews ready to do and die for their country might have been raised, trained and equipped, has been lost.

“At this twelfth hour we urge most earnestly that without a moment’s further delay their plea be granted and all available Jewish manpower in Palestine be immediately mobilised, and if they go down they should be enabled to go down fighting. We solemnly affirm that if this is not done and should catastrophe befall, it will be Britain’s responsibility before history that the Jews of Palestine were denied by the mandatory power the right and means of self defense. In appealing to the conscience of the British people, we appeal also to you personally who have so often shown your sympathy and understanding for the cause of the Jewish people. We know you will give the matter consideration in the light of the supreme danger and urgency of the hour.”