The Palestine Government today belatedly announced the immigration quota for Jews for the six-month period which began October 1, 1941 and which concludes March 31 of this year. The quota, according to the announcement, provides for the admission of a total of 3,000 new Jewish immigrants, including 1,250 heads of families and 1,750 dependents.
After deductions made for Jews who illegally entered Palestine, approximately 37,000 Jews are still to be permitted into Palestine during the next two years under the provisions of the Command Paper issued by the British Government in May, 1939. These provisions stipulated that within five years, beginning April 1, 1939, a total of 75,000 Jews were to be admitted to Palestine. Of them 50,000 were to be immigrants under the labor quota and 25,000 refugees.
The Palestine authorities claim that since April, 1939, some 16,500 Jews entered the country as legal immigrants in addition to some 18,500 who entered Palestine as “illegal.” The position of the latter was legalized by deducting 18,459 visas from the general five-year quota. The number of immigration certificates issued so far on account of the 75,000 visas to be granted under the five-year plan totals 35,000. With the 3,000 immigration certificates assigned for the present six-month period ending on March 31, there will be a balance of 37,000 certificates left to be distributed over the next two years.
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