The Jewish Agency for Palestine today made public the text of its reply to the recommendations of the Anglo-American inquiry committee, as requested by the British Government.
“The Jewish Agency,” the reply states, “has made abundantly clear, in their memoranda and in oral submissions to the inquiry committee, their views on the inseparable problems of Palestine and the Jewish people and the reasons for their conclusion that the only just and practicable solution of these twin problems in the establishment of Palestine as a Jewish State.
“These views and their reasons remain valid and unaltered. The memoranda of the Jewish Agency, as well as the oral submissions, are doubtless available to the Governments of the United States and Britain, and a copy of their principal memo is attached for ready reference.
“The Jewish Agency notes the committee’s condemnation of the basic provisions of the White Paper of 1939. They would urge the authorities to carry out with the utmost dispatch the committee’s recommendations that 100,000 victims of Nazi and fascist persecutions be permitted immediately to enter Palestine, and that the discriminatory restrictive Land Transfer Regulations now in force in Palestine be rescinded and replaced by a policy of freedom in sale and lease of land irrespective of race, community or creed.
“The Jewish Agency hope that the British and American Governments, as well as bodies indicated by the committee, will cooperate wholeheartedly in the tasks of transport and resettlement involved.” (As the Bulletin went to press no further details of the reply were available.)
BEN GURION CALLS BEVIN’S SPEECH “CRUEL MOCKERY” OF JEWS
Taking issue with the arguments advanced last week by Foreign Secretary Ernest Bovin against the immediate admission of 100,000 Jews to Palestine, David Ben Gurion, Laborite chairman of the executive of the Jewish Agency, issued a statement in London describing as a “cruel mockery” Bevin’s request to the Jews to have patience.
Bevin’s claim that the admission of 100,000 Jews to Palestine would involve the expenditure of $200,000,000 was termed “fantastic” by Ben Gurion. The cost of immigration and settlement of more than 400,000 Jews brought into Palestine by the Jewish Agency has not amounted to half that figure, he declared, adding that the British taxpayer never contributed a penny towards the settlement of Jews in Palestine, and is not expected to make any such contribution in the future.
On Bevin’s statement that he would have to send another division of British troops to keep order if 100,000 Jews were allowed into Palestine, Ben Gurion said: “I venture to suggest, on the strength of expert military advice, that more military forces on land, sea and air are used now to prevent Jews from coming to Palestine than may be required in the case of their admission.”
He rejected Bevin’s suggestion that Jewish brains and ability should make themselves available throughout the Arab world. “The Jews are set on returning to their own national home and on settling in Palestine only,” he said.
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