British Authorities Here Deny Jewish Refugees from Balkans Being Barred from Palestine

A denial that Britain is placing new obstacles in the way of Jews wishing to immigrate to Palestine from Europe was issued here today by the British Information Services. The statement was made in reply to recent reports that Turkey was refusing to grant transit visas to Jewish refugees desiring to go to Palestine because the British were refusing them admittance.

“When practically the whole of Europe was occupied by the enemy, Palestine immigration certificates could not be issued in the occupied countries, as would-be immigrants were physically unable to make contact with British consular officers or with representatives of the Jewish Agency,” the statement said. “Arrangements were accordingly made whereby blocks of certificates were allocated in respect of given countries, for use by such refugees as might be able to escape from those countries. As part of this arrangement a guarantee was given by the British Government to the Turkish Government that any Jewish refugee reaching the Turkish frontier from the Balkans would be admitted to Palestine; on the strength of this guarantee the Turkish Government issued the necessary transit visa.

“Large parts of Europe (including the Balkans) have now been liberated; their Jewish inhabitants are no longer in imminent danger of persecution or death at the hands of the enemy, and the problem has thus changed. To meet this new situation, arrangements have been made dropping the emergency set-up and re-introducing the previous machinery. Immigration certificates for Palestine can now be obtained from the representatives of the Jewish Agency in the capital of every Allied, neutral and liberated country in Europe including Rumania and Bulgaria. On receipt of the immigration certificate, the applicant is automatically issued a Palestine entry visa by the British consular representative on the spot. A new arrangement has now been made with the Turkish Government, whereby any applicant producing his immigration certificate and entrance visa is, without delay, issued a Turkish transit visa.”