The Palestine Government has no intention of deporting Jewish refugees who have already arrived off the shores of Palestine, it was stated today by the government’s information officer, Richard Stubbs.
Stubbs told a press conference that the government had no knowledge that camps were being constructed in Cyprus to house visaless Jews attempting to enter Palestine. He also denied that any persons have been transferred to Eritrea.
A Reuters dispatch today from Famagasta, Cyprus, however, said that 100 large tents were being erected there, while a nearby detention camp has been rewired. It quoted official quarters as admitting that large numbers of Jews were expected, but said that it is not known whether they will be arrested terrorists or visaless immigrants. The Palestine censor has forbidden mention in the local press of reports that camps are being prepared in Cyprus.
The Jewish community here is still uneasy and apprehensive as persistent reports continue that the authorities are planning to deport the refugees who are still aboard several vessels in Haifa harbor.
Special troop maneuvers will be held in Haifa today during which the military authorities will attempt to establish how fast they can move troops to the harbor area if and when British marines begin transferring Jews to ships to take them to Cyprus.
Four-motored long-range Lancaster bombers are reported to be patrolling the Mediterranean to spot vessels heading towards Palestine and to summon naval patrols to divert the refugee ships to Cyprus. The air operations may be part of a large-scale blockade of the Palestine coast which the British authorities are reportedly ready to impose.
It is believed that several small vessels carrying 10,000 refugees are somewhere in the Mediterranean near Palestine, waiting for instructions. One or more vessels may already have been taken to Cyprus, although there is still no confirmation of these rumors.
It was officially announced tonight that 1,700 of the persons detained at the Raffa camp have been released as of today and the remaining 970 will be freed as soon as possible.
A delegation of Jewish lawyers called on High Commissioner Sir Alan Cunningham today and pointed out that the government’s recent requisition of offices and shops threatened the livelihood of 3,000 people.
They cited the case of the Anglo-Palestine Bank, whose modern banking building has no duplicate here. Replying, Gen. Cunningham said that all the requisitions were motivated by the bombing of the King David Hotel and the need to take additional security measures.
Meyer Weisgal, general secretary of the Jewish Agency office in New York, left Palestine today for London to report to Dr. Chaim Weizmann on the latest developments here.
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