First c o n tingent of
Jewish refugees
brought to Cyprus
and interned at the
British detention camp
there, crowd forward
towards the barbed
wire to protest the
British decision
against their speaking
to visiting reporters.
(See Photo at bottom)
Bevin Rejects Agency Proposal
As Basis for Zion Discussion
British Troops Loot,
Wreck 2 Settlements
In Search for Arms
Special to The Jewish News by Long Distance Telephone frcent
The Jewish Telegraphic Agency
LONDON. (JTA) --- Rejection by British
Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin of the Jewish
Agency's request that its own plan for the parti-
tion of Palestine be made a basis for discussion
at the London Palestine conference set for Sept. 9
has caused deep disappointment in Jewish circles.
Mr. Bevin has discussed the issue with Dr. Chaim
Weizmann and the one ray of hope for a new
basis -for deliberations is the continuation of the
discussions.
THE JEWISH NEWS
A Weekly Review
VOL. 9—N0:25 34
22
of Jewish Events
Detroit 26, Michigan, September 6, 1946
Italians Under British
Prod Reject U. S. Plea
To Admit 25,000 DPs
WASHINGTON. (JTA)'
—The Italian govern-
ment has tentatively re-
jected the U. S. request
that it shelter 25,000 Jew-
ish refugees now in -Aus-
trian camps the State De-,
partmeht learned today.
Dr. Nahum Goldmann issued a statement Tuesday
afternoon to the effect that the Agency had not yet re-
jected the invitation for participation in the conference,
since the six or seven members of the Agency Executive
present here are not in position to ,.speak for the entire
body. He added that talks with Mr. Bevin will continue
in the -hope that an :acceptable partition plan will be, the
basis for discusSion rather than the Federalization plan,
which Mr. Bevin insists should remain the chief basis for
discussions.
It is believed that British
pressure on the Italians was
responsible for the- Unfavor-
able answer.
No Flat Rejection by the Agency
. Thus, negotiations have not yet been broken off and
there is as- yet no flat -rejection by the Agency for par-
ticipation in the conference.
Berl Locker, Palestine Jewish Agency leader, has re-
turned to London for further discussions with Dr. Weiz-
mann.
The State Departrrient refuses
to accept the rejection as final
and will continue negotiations
until an agreement is reached.
Agency Aides Barred from Ship
(Special Cable to The Jewish News)
JERUSALEM. (JTA)—Jewish Agency representa-
tives were not permitted to board the refugee vessel Four
Freedoms which docked at Haifa harbor TuesdaY morn-
ing with 1,000 visaless Jews. The British are making
preparations to transfer the immigrants to another ship
for deportation to Cyprus. The harbor area.in Haifa was
closed off while reconnaissance planes circled overhead
to prevent any attempts to aid the refugees or to sabotage
British vessels.
When British sailors boarded the vessel in Palestine
territorial waters Monday night, a fight ensued and a
number of sailors were injured before the immigrants
were subdued. The vessel then was towed to Haifa
harbor.
THEY SAW THE PROMISED LAND: Weary and heart-
sick, many physically ill; refugees plod up the gangplank of
a British transport at Haifa. They were forbidden to land in
Palestine. after several weeks 'aboard unsanitary vessels.
(Continued on Page 5)
Under the U. S. proposal,. Italy
would not assume financial re-
sponsibility for the DPs, UNRRA
supplying and. administering the
Bari and Milan camps now un-
occupied.
British pressure is attributed to
fear that the refugees would be
closer to ports from which to em-
bark for Palestine.
Italy's unwillingness to accept
the refugees was emphasized at
the Italian Embassy here, which,
however, stressed the food scar-
city and lack of facilities. Spokes-
man suggested that an agreement
can be reached, particularly if a
time limit to their stay is fixed.
Agency's Comment
The Jewish Agency, commenting on the incident,
said: "Our attitude toward immigration has not changed
our attitude toward deportations to Cyprus."
Twelve men jumped overboard during the fight in
an attempt to swim to land. Some of them- are believed
to have escaped near Tel Aviv.
Jewish delegations from the Vaad Leumi Small
Actions Committee, headed by Ben Zion Uziel and Isaac
Ben-Zvi, arrived in Doroth to investigate the damage
there. All troops except the engineering detachment are
reported to have made the search at Ruhama Monday
night. The head of the local council and the secretary of
the settlement were arrested. •
I Oc; $3 Per Year
Hunger Strikers Refuse
To Return to Poland
THEY'RE "ILLEGAL" IMMIGRANTS: A young Jewish
father and his infant son wait to be transported to an intern-
ment camp on Cyprus. The father spent years in a Nazi
concentration camp and a year in a displaced persons camp.
. . . The same refu-
gees crouch low run-
ning for cover as
guards fire over their
heads when they re-
fuse to disberse. The
for mer Nazi slaves
finally were allowed
to speak to the news-
men. Their cry: "We
Want Palestine."
(Photos by International)
•
ROME (JTA) -- Displaced Jews
in Fasoli camp, near Modena,
completed a five-day hunger
strike protesting the treatment
they received. The Italian gov-
ernment said it would release
them if they would return in
groups of five to Poland. The
Jews refused.