Jews in Palestine Depressed As Ban on Jewish Immigration Goes into Effect Today

Palestine’s Jewish population was plunged into gloom today on the eve of the closing of the gates of the country to further Jewish immigration, under the provisions of the British White Paper which become effective tomorrow.

The feeling here of “Remember March 31” is in many respects similar to the “Remember Pearl Harbor” feeling in the United States. Jews in all walks of life and in all parts of Palestine consider the curb on Jewish immigration at the most tragic time in Jewish history, to be not only a violation of the Palestine Mandate and a breach of Britain’s promise to establish a Jewish National Home in Palestine, but an obstacle to the rescue of Jews from Europe who could find refuge here.

(A cable by Victor M. Bienstock, special correspondent of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency who is now stationed in Jerusalem, containing comment from the Hebrew press in Palestine on the situation there in connection with the ban on immigration, was refused clearance by the Palestine censor, according to a cable, passed by censorship, which was received in the New York office of the JTA today.)

Any hope of last-minute intervention by the United States to halt enforcement of the White Paper immigration ban faded yesterday after it became known that President Roosevelt supports the attitude of the War Department and has refused to intervene with the British Government to have the ban on Jewish immigration rescinded. The action of the British Government is considered by experts here to be illegal since the White Paper was rejected by the Mandates Commission of the League of Nations and has never been approved by the League which is the nominal holder of the Palestine Mandate entrusted to Britain.

ARAB CONSENT TO FURTHER JEWISH IMMIGRATION REQUIRED

The Jewish population here is especially bitter over the fact that any further Jewish immigration to Palestine — except for the 20,000 Jewish refugees who can still come in under the unfilled quota — is contingent on approval by the Arabs. Jewish leaders consider it a breach of faith in view of the fact that the Arabs have taken a “neutral” position in the present war, while the Jews of Palestine have given 40,000 volunteers to the British armed forces, many of whom distinguished themselves in the African campaign.

The White Paper, in addition to stopping further Jewish immigration, also makes the Jewish position in Palestine precarious by prohibiting and restricting sale of land to Jews in Palestine and by providing for the establishment of Palestine as an independent state in 1949, in which the Jews are to be a one-third minority.

(In London, members of the House of Commons today urged the admission of Jewish refugees to Palestine regardless of the quota set by the White Paper. Foreign Secretary Eden was asked to re-admit to Palestine the 1,400 Jewish refugees who were deported as “illegal immigrants” to the Island of Mauritius. He replied that he was not aware of this deportation.”)

JEWISH EXTREMIST GROUPS ISSUE LEAFLETS ON TERROR IN PALESTINE

The two terrorist groups in Palestine, the Irgun Zvai Leumi and the group known as the “Stern Gang,” today issued leaflets making clear their attitude towards the outbreaks which occurred last week in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa and Jaffa, causing the death of several British policemen.

The Irgun, which is an illegal military organization of extremist Jewish youths, said in its leaflet that though embarked “on a frontal attack,” its members did not intend to shoot or kill. Regret is expressed at the death of the Assistant Superintendent of the Palestine police who was killed during the explosion in the Jerusalem police headquarters.

A different attitude is manifested in the leaflet issued by the “Stern Gang.” its leaflet reads: “Our blood is cheap. So is the blood of British policemen who kill us without law or trial. We shall not yield or retreat. We shall continue our acts until the Jewish nation is freed.”