Two Jews were reported killed and 20 others in ##ed seriously enough to require hospitalization during a pitched battle last night ##ween a British naval boarding party and some 2,500 visaless immigrants aboard the ##ckade runner Theodor Herzl, intercepted off the coast of Tel Aviv.
Six of the injured, all of whom were taken to government hospitals here and the Athlit clearance camp early this morning, were suffering from gunshot wounds. ## wounded are: Abraham Feldman, 22, Nathan Alcharovitz, 22, Solo Friedman, all from Poland; Menachem Samet, 29, of Czechoslovakia; Dan Liebovitz, 19, and ##ol Klein, 47. The last two underwent emergency operations. The names of seven ?ers taken to Athlit were given as Otto Sobel, Itzhak Kassirer, Charlie Gerecht, ?gen Sperling, Moshe Mirenstein, Menachem Klein and Ivri Unger. The report of the ##ling of the two Jews could not be confirmed.
After the vessel was halted by a number of British destroyers at about 9 p.m., took the boarding party three hours to battle its way over the sides. The fight ?ged aboard the Herzl for several hours before the refugees were subdued. The ?ilors used clubs, water hoses and tear gas, and when they proved insufficient, re?rted to firearms. After destroying the ship’s engines, the Jews fought back with ?atever missiles came to hand.
Eventually the overloaded blockade runner was taken into tow by two destroy?s and brought into the harbor here. The Herzl, originally named the Guardian, is reported to have left a French port about two weeks ago flying the Honduras flag. immigrants from Poland, Hungary and Rumania made up the majority of her passengers. ?e was spotted by RAF reconnaissance planes early last night and was kept under watch ?til she entered Palestinian territorial waters.
British sources believe that the Herzl is the first of a great fleet of il?gal immigrant vessels which will be crossing the Mediterranean to Palestine this ?ring and summer. It was officially announced that naval units patrolling the coast ?ve been reinforced by a new warship. It was also disclosed that beginning tomorrow, British subjects desiring to enter Palestine must obtain special permission ?ther than merely obtaining a passport.
The Official Gazette today announced the immigration quota for April 15-May ## Fifteen hundred certificates will be awarded to Jews and two hundred to others.
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