Asserting that he is “convinced that 10,000 Jews can be absorbed monthly into Israel for the next two years,” Dr. Joseph J. Schwartz, European director of the Joint Distribution Committee, who arrived here today, told a press conference that his primary purpose for coming to Israel at this time was to investigate the possibilities of mass immigration.
“One of the primary purposes in establishing Israel was to provide a home for the displaced persons,” he said. “Now we have come here to discuss the necessary arrangements with the Provisional Government of Israel.” He added that the “job of the J.D.C. is to pay for the transportation of the BP’s to Israel.”
Dr. Schwartz reported that “750,000 Jews in Europe–and the majority of the displaced Jew–are anxiously awaiting the possibility to emigrate to Israel.” Pointing out that more “then 30,000 Jews have arrived in Israel since the Jewish state was proclaimed, Dr, Schwartz said a plan has been worked out to bring into Israel 10,000 immigrants monthly which will cost, in transportation alone, $1,250,000 per month.
Citing his visit to Cyprus a few days ago, Dr, Schwartz said that “while the displaced Jews in Germany, Austria and Italy move about freely, the 13,000 Jews in Cyprus are virtual prisoners behind barbed wire.” He revealed that U.N. Palestine mediator Count Folks Bernadotte told a J.D.C. representative on the inland that he had no objection to the immigration of the Cyprus detainees to Israel, but said that the British refused to allow their departure.
The J.D.C. European director pointed to the fact that although 51,000 Jews arrived in Israel since Jan. 1 of this year, the International Refugee Organization, which should have assisted in moving the DP’s, refused to do so, explaining that Israel at war and some I.R.O. members have not recognized Israel.” Therefore, Dr. Schwartz declared, “the J.D.C. is forced, but prepared to carry the burden alone. the Joint Distribution Committee spends $6,000,000 monthly in Europe, 90 percent of which is contributed by American Jewry,” he added.
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.
