The war crisis today led Palestine’s British administration to relax its iron-clad restriction on Jewish immigration.
To strengthen Palestine’s defense forces, 150 Jewish former officers of the Czech Army and 175 privates, interned at Beirut, Syria, when they were refused admittance to Palestine from the steamship Frossula, will be brought to Palestine, it was reported, and interned in the Sarafend concentration camp for subsequent release among a group of chemical warfare and other specialists.
At the same time, 329 refugees who landed in Palestine illegally on Aug. 19 were released today.
Meanwhile, Palestine banks, which were closed by Government order last weekend, reopened. Barclay’s, the Anglo-Palestine Bank and other foreign houses were making full payments, while local banks were restricted for a fortnight to paying 15 per cent on deposits.
High Commissioner Sir Harold MacMichael announced that should war break out petroleum and its derivatives and coal and lumber would be placed under Government supervision.
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