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Exchange on Palestine Question in Commons

July 28, 1939
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Colonial Secretary Malcolm MacDonald revealed in Commons, in answer to a question by National Liberal George Lambert, that British casualties in Palestine during the last seven years have been as follows: 135 Army and Air Force members killed and 337 wounded; 28 officials, including police, killed, and 79 wounded.

“Is not this a heavy British sacrifice to settle the Jews in Palestine?” Lambert demanded. Geoffrey Mander, Liberal, bounced to his feet. “How many Jews were killed fighting for us in the World War?” he demanded.

Mander then asked if the same care is taken to prevent Arab immigration as to prevent Jewish. “The frontiers of Palestine are closely patrolled to prevent unauthorized entry by Arabs and other persons,” MacDonald answered.

“Does not that answer prove,” Anthony Crossley, Conservative, interjected, “that the Arabs of Palestine are a separate and distinct people from the Arabs of other countries?”

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