Immigration Movement in Palestine

5,533 immigrants were registered in Palestine during 1931, the Director of Palestine Immigration reports. Of these 4,075 (1,604 men, 1,863 women and 608 children) were Jews. Included among these immigrants were 1,580 persons who were in Palestine already illegally, but received permission to stay. Among these were 939 Jews, 502 Christians, 137 Moslems and two Druzes.

To these figures should be added a number of immigrants who entered Palestine either as travellers or by evading the Passport Controls, and have remained in the country without permission.

The corresponding figures for 1930 were 6,433 immigrants (3,386 men, 2,116 women and 931 children), of whom 4,944 (2,550 men, 1,700 women and 694 children) were Jews.

Of the 5,533 immigrants in 1931, 2,701 or 49 percent. came from Europe east of a line drawn from Danzig to Trieste, 1,146 or 21 per cent. from North Africa and Western Asia including Iraq, Persia and Afghanistan, 341 or six per cent. come from Central Europe, 382 or seven per cent. from the United States of America, and 546 (including 197 British Police) or ten per cent. from the British Empire, apart from Aden which is included in Western Asia.

401 prospective immigrants who failed to comply with the Immigration Regulations were refused admission to Palestine.

In the course of the year, 282 Palestinian citizens (138 Jews, 88 Christians and 56 Moslems) and 1,064 aliens (528 Jews, 485 Christians and 51 Moslems) were recorded to have left Palestine permanently.

Of these 895, of whom 443 were Jews, had settled in Palestine under the present administration. This total also includes 182 British Police repatriated.

The figure shows a considerable decrease as compared with previous years, and is the lowest yearly record since these statistics have been compiled.

About 9,000 tourists are believed to have come to Palestine during the year; 3,698 arrived in 20 cruising parties and 979 in 19 conducted parties coming by land. The comparative numbers for 1930 were 13,200 tourists; 5,817 in 28 cruising parties and 1,097 in 22 conducted parties coming by land.

In 1929 the last complete year before the depression commenced there were about 16,500 tourists of whom 9,800 arrived in 33 cruising parties and 1,200 in conducted parties coming by land.

54,764 travellers and 31,617 returning residents were recorded to have entered Palestine during the year and 52,790 travellers to have left. 31,726 residents stated that they were leaving Palestine temporarily.

The increase in the number of returning residents, both relative and absolute, was due to the number of Palestinians who had emigrated to America and returned during the year in consequence of the industrial depression in America.