The suggestion that Libya became “a second Palestine” for Jews was made today in the House of Commons by Sir Lambert Ward, Conservative, in the course of the debate on Churchill’s report on the Yalta Conference. “This would provide a satisfactory solution for the Jewish problem which is now agitating many people in this country.” Sir Lambert said.
Zionist leaders here today refrained from commenting on Churchill’s announcement yesterday that no solution was reached on the Arab-Jewish problem in palestine and that this problem will be solved “when the war is over.” It was noted that the Prime Minister made this statement after referring to his talks with Ibn Saud, the ruler of Saudi Arabia, and it was not clear whether he meant that he did not reach a solution on Palestine problems in his discussions with Ibn Saud, or whether such a solution was not reached generally.
The full text of Churchill’s statement on Palestine which he sandwiched in between his references to his meeting with King Ibn Saud and his discussions with the Emperor of Ethiopin, read as follows; “Although we did not reach a solution of the problems of the Arab world and of the Jewish people in palestine, I have hopes that when the war is over good arrangements can be made for securing the peace and progress of the Arab world and generally of the Middle East and that Great Britain and the United States, which is taking an increasing interest in those regions, will be able to play a valuable part in proving the well known maxim of the old trader; ‘All legitimate interests are in harmony.’
Addressing the Dominion League tonight, Lord Strabolgi complained that “there is too much secrecy and unnecessary mystery” with regard to Churchill’s and Roosevelt’s talks with the Arab rulers. At the same time, he welcomed the fact that no attempt was made to rush solution of the Palestine question. “The idea that Palestine with its 600,000 Jewish settlers should be handed over to an Arab Federation, or split up, was highly objectionable,” he said.
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