The specially-chartered hospital ship which earlier this month left Tientsin for Israel with a group of some 700 aged, sick and disabled Jews will travel via the Panama Canal although the Suez route, controlled by Egypt, is shorter, it was reported here today.
The vessel was chartered by the International Refugee Organization which is not only paying for the vessel, but is providing a full hospital staff to care for the refugees en route. The Joint Distribution Committee cooperated with the I.R.O. in planning the project.
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