Paris Protest Rally Banned

Jews thronging the entrances to Mutualite Hall for a scheduled meeting in protest against Britain’s Palestine policy tonight found the doors barred by police who informed them that the rally had been banned at the eleventh hour. It was believed to be the first time a Zionist meeting was prohibited in France.

Only last night Zionist-Revisionists held a meeting in protest against the British White Paper. Today, however, the authorities “advised” Zionist leaders to call off tonight’s meeting, at which an attendance of 6,000 was expected, on the ground that the rally would not be in harmony with France’s international interests. The “advice” came a few hours before the scheduled time for the meeting. Negotiations proved useless. The organizers of the rally thereupon announced laconically that “for reasons for which we are not responsible tonight’s meeting is postponed.”

Simultaneously the Patriotic Union of French Israelites, an assimilationist group, issued a statement to the press condemning the idea of calling an “anti-British meeting” on French soil. The statement warned alien Jews in France against participation in such meetings and termed the White Paper an internal British affair. It is understood that the Alliance Israelite Universelle does not associate itself with this manifesto, although some individuals who are members of the Alliance are also members of the Patriotic Union.

The cancelled meeting was called by the French Palestine Association, the Palestine Foundation Fund, the Jewish National Fund, all Zionist parties, the Federation of Jewish Organizations and the Federation of Jewish Youth. It was to have been addressed by Dr. Nahum Goldmann, of the World Zionist Executive; Rabbi Meir Berlin, of the Mizrachi Zionist Organization; Eliezer Kaplan, treasurer of the Jewish Agency; I. Naiditch, Marc Jarblum and others. Zionist circles appeared to be depressed by the development but declined to comment.