Churchill Reiterates Demand for Parliamentary Debate on Palestine Issue

For the second time in two days Winston Churchill today asked in the House of Commons that the Government arrange a debate in Parliament on the Palestine question. He pointed out that as the report of the Anglo-American Committee had been in the Government’s hands for two months he would like an indication as to when the government’s decision on the report’s recommendations would be reached and announced.

The former Prime Minister voiced his request following a detailed report by War Secretary Jack Lawson on the kidnapping in Tel Aviv of five British officers. He added that he received information that another officer and a British nurse are believed to have been kidnapped in Haifa. (A report from Palestine later Denied that the nurse had been kidnapped.)

Daniel Lipson, Independent, said that Jews everywhere were filled with horror and shame at the dastardly attacks of terrorism and would give all possible support to the Government in its efforts to establish the rule of law in Palestine.

LABORITE DEMANDS DEPORTATION OF JEWISH LEADERS FROM PALESTINE

Richard Stokes, Labor, suggested that “if terrorism continued there should be done to Jewish leaders what had been done to Arab leaders–deport them from Palestine.” He suggested the army should “sweep up” all arms in Jewish settlements.

Lawson said that the Government shared the feelings expressed by members but he pointed out that “these officers are in peril of their lives and a single word in this House might do infinite harm and increase their danger. I would prefer not to say any more.”

William Gallacher, Communist, said that the terrorists involved belonged to particular forms of terrorist organizations and should be referred to by the names of their groups and not as Jews because the Jewish people as a whole had nothing to do with them.