Colonial Secretary Malcolm MacDonald today praised Palestine Jewry’s “admirable restraint throughout difficult times,” but voiced regret that it had broken down in some cases recently “thus increasing the difficulties of the situation.”
Speaking in the House of Commons in reply to a query by John McGovern, Independent Laborite, on the recent execution in Palestine of Shlomo Ben Josef, Mr. MacDonald declared the large majority of the Jews continued to show self-restraint under the influence of their leaders.
Mr. McGovern termed Ben Josef’s execution (the first of a Jew in hundreds of years of Palestine history) “perfectly outrageous.” Replying, Mr. MacDonald admitted that he was “not aware that any persons had been injured” in the shooting for which Ben Josef was hanged.
Asked by Col. Josiah Wedgwood, Laborite, whether the fact that the authorities were unable to protect the Jewish community should not have been taken into consideration in fixing sentence, MacDonald replied that he was unable to comment.
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