Moshe Shertok, chief of the political department of the Jewish Agency, told a press conference in Jerusalem, yesterday, that he was not aware of any intention on the part of the British Government to suppress the Jewish Agency.
Replying to a question as to whether he believed it advisable for European Jews to appear before the Anglo-American inquiry committee, when it visits Europe, Shertok said that it would be best if the Jews, especially those in displaced persons camps, appeared and told of their plight and their desire to go to Palestine.
He refused to indicate whether the Jewish Agency will appear before the committee, when it comes here, but he added that the American office of the Agency will decide for itself whether to participate in the hearings scheduled to open in Washington on Jan. 7.
The Agency political head said that Jewish immigration to Palestine has stopped completely, despite statements to the contrary by the Colonial Office and despite Foreign Minister Bevin’s pledge that 1,500 Jews would be admitted to Palestine monthly.
At the moment, Shertok continued, there are only 750 unused White Paper visas, of which 500 have been assigned to Jews in Bulgarian, and the other 250 distributed among several smaller countries. The Agency’s figures, he said, show that 932 Jews were admitted in November, and, although December’s date is not yet completed, no more than 250 entered under the White Paper.
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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.
