80,000 Palestine Jews Reported Fit for Military Service

Eighty thousand Palestine Jews between the ages of 18 and 55 are fit for military service, it was estimated here today by speakers addressing a plenum of the Jewish National Council. Of these, 40,000 are needed for agriculture and war industries leaving the other 40,000 available for immediate service.

It was pointed out at the session that half of this number – about 20,000 – have already enlisted as members of the armed forces, as supernumeraries or in other branches of the Palestine defense set-up. It is urgently necessary for an additional 10,000 young men to volunteer for the armed forces and the other defense services, the speakers stressed. They recommended that youths between the ages of 17 and 20 be mobilized for work in the-fields, in order to enable those engaged in agriculture or industry to enlist in the reserves where they will receive thorough training so that they could immediately join the army should the need arise.

PALESTINE WOMEN LEAVE FOR DUTY “SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE EAST”

The first contingent of 400 trained members of the Palestine Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service left here for duty “somewhere in the Middle East.” They are under the command of their own officers. This is the first unit of uniformed Palestinian women who have ever left the country for service in neighboring territory.

At the same time it was revealed here today that 51 Palestine Jews are now serving with the Royal Navy. Many of these were graduated from the Palestine Naval School. As a result of negotiations between the Jewish authorities and the Royal Navy the first group of Jewish seamen joined the British naval forces last year. They are engaged in special services such as minesweeping. Jewish specialists are still being accepted by the navy.