Britain Will Not Allow Mufti to Enter Palestine; Churchill Wants Debate in Commons

The British Government will not allow the ex-Mufti to return to Palestine, the House of Commons was assured today by Minister of State Philip J. Noel-Baker. He emphasized that the Government has not received any confirmation of reports that the ex-Mufti has arrived in the Middle East.

Former Prime Minister Winston Churchill asked when the Government intended to set a date for debating the Palestine question. Prime Minister Attlee replied that the matter might be raised tomorrow when the program for next week will be discussed.

To a question as to whether the Government would not be willing to consider its attitude with regard to the extradition of the ex-Mufti, Neel-Baker said that the British “admit the treachery of the Mufti” and “would be glad to have him in our hands.” He said that the French Government is furnishing all possible assistance in tracing the ex-Mufti. He termed “without foundation” charges voiced in the United States that the British Government was implicated in the escape of the ex-Mufti.

A resolution urging the immediate admission of 100,000 Jews to Palestine which was scheduled to have been voted on today by the Council of the Liberal Party was not presented, since it had only a few supporters. Instead the meeting adopted a resolution urging the government to immediately refer the recommendations of the Anglo-American inquiry committee to the United Nations and to ask its advice on implementation of the recommendations. At the same time, the resolution urged relaxation of British immigration restrictions, and suggested that other governments be asked to act likewise.