Nazi diplomats here today openly admitted that one of the German military moves in the near future will be directed towards the British Island of Cyprus and towards Palestine and Syria.
“Cyprus is a producer of copper and asbestos, while Palestine produces great supplies of potash used for fertilizer and explosives, as well as bromine which is a constituent of high octane gasoline,” a Nazi press attache was quoted here today as stating, in “explaining” the economic value of Cyprus and Palestine to the German war machine in addition to their strategic value. The German official added that he is “not certain whether Britain will be able to hold the Arab population in Palestine and Syria under control” as soon as the German offensive starts in the Middle East.
British military authorities, aware of the possibility of a Nazi attack on Cyprus which, if successful, can lead to a direct large-scale attack on Syria and Palestine, are reported to have concentrated considerable air force in Cyprus. They have also started extensive air attacks on the Italian Island of Rhodes, which is about 300 miles west of Cyprus and which is stated to be garrisoned by Germans.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.