The duties and prospects of the Palestine Regiment were defined here today by War Minister Sir James Grigg in a written statement read in the House of Commons.
Emphasizing that the statement was drawn up after consultations with the British Commander-in-Chief in the Middle East, Sir James said that the Palestine Regiment has been created for the purpose of enabling Arabs and Jews to participate in the defense of their homeland.
“Since the defense of Palestine is an integral part of the British Middle Eastern strategy, the duties of the Palestine Regiment must be related to Middle Eastern requirements as a whole, “the statement said. “The Commander-in-Chief in the Middle East who is in the best position to judge what the task of the Palestine Regiment should be, has allotted to it the immediate role of defending vulnerable points such as airfields and radio stations.” The Commander-in-Chief is completely confident of the regiment’s ability to carry out this indispensible task which releases seasoned troops urgently needed for battle duties, the statement pointed out.
Dwelling on the amount of arms and equipment which have been allotted to the Palestine Regiment, the statement admits it is not large “because it is manifestly uneconomical to equip any force heavier than its duties necessitate.” The statement concludes with the assurance that “the Commander-in-Chief, with the full approval of the British Government, intends, when equipment and circumstances permit, to relieve units of the Palestine Regiment for general duties which will enable the regiment to participate more actively in operations in the Middle East, should the situation require it.”
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