David Ben-Gurion, chairman of the Palestine Executive of the Jewish Agency for Palestine, warned today of a serious reaction among the Palestine Jews “with consequences which everyone would deplore” if Great Britain yielded to Arab demands for halting Jewish immigration.
He added, however, in a report delivered at a meeting of the World Zionist Executive, that it was not believed likely that the Government would give way to “Arab violence and intimidation.”
Predicting an early break-up of the twelve-week-old Arab general strike, Mr. Ben-Gurion said terrorist bands were deteriorating and Arab bandits were attacking each other as often as others.
The strike was being kept alive by encouraging reports from an unofficial Arab delegation in London, he said, but the impression was spreading that there was no basis for the encouragement.
He declared that the Palestine Jewish community was maintaining excellent spirit and that the Jewish settlements, protected by Jewish special police, felt secure.
The Jewish Telegraphic Agency learned today that there no longer exists the possibility that the Government might not adhere to its announced intention not to send a Royal Commission to investigate the disorders until order was restored. It was learned, however, that a strong minority in the British cabinet continues to favor stoppage of immigration. This was causing Zionist leaders some concern.
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.
