The Jewish population of Palestine has increased tenfold from the end of the Great War to the present, Eliahu Dobkin, director of the Jewish Agency Immigration Department announced today.
When hostilities ended in 1918 there were 50,000 Jews in Palestine, as against 500,000 today, he said. During the past 11 war months, the Jewish population increased by 24,000. Of these, 16,000 were immigrants and Jews who entered illegally and 8,000 constituted natural increase.
He revealed that 800 Jewish extra-quota immigrants from the steamers Hilda and Sakharia who were placed in concentration camps at Athlit and other points had been released Sunday after being held for six months. Nine hundred others were to be released today, while 500 were freed on July 22. The Jewish Agency allotted £10,000 for their accommodation.
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