The statement attributed to Albert Hyamson, chief immigration officer of Palestine in the Inquiry Commission’s report, to the effect that blank immigration certificates are handed to the Histadruth (General Labor Federation) which distributes them with an eye to political motives rather than to the absorptive capacity of the country, was declared entirely baseless in a letter to Mr. Hyamson from the executive of the Histadruth.
The letter points out that the Histadruth does not receive the certificates but that they are given to the Zionist Executive which informs the immigration department to which British consuls the certificates should be sent. The Histadruth’s letter also says that the distribution of certificates by countries and categories of immigrants is made by the Zionist Executive in consultation with its immigration commission while the choice of candidates is made by the local Palestine offices composed of all Zionist parties. The letter concludes with a request that Mr. Hyamson correct his statement.
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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.
