The threatened invasion of Palestine by German forces based in French-mandated Syria and Lebanon bade fair today to be turned into an entry of Allied troops into Syria from the Holy Land. This would help to dispel the fears of the Holy Land’s being turned into a battleground.
Reports from Beirut and Jerusalem indicated that Allied action against the French-mandated territories was imminent, while diplomatic quarters in Ankara were quoted by the London Evening Standard as stating that the British Government was expected to declare these enemy-occupied territories.
(The German radio reported that martial law was declared in east Syria by High Commissioner Dentz and that frontier guards had been ordered increased.)
The Free French forces in Palestine, augmented by defection of many French troops from Syria, are ready for the invasion, according to Jerusalem reports. The importance of quick action in seizing Syria from the Nazis’ grasp has become critical as result of the German occupation of Crete.
The Germans are still landing airplanes in Syria and Lebanon, according to Ankara reports, and many “tourists” have been arriving, carrying passports from Nazi-occupied Bulgaria.
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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.
