HC Deb 19 May 1927 vol 206 cc1361-2
54. Colonel WEDGWOOD

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether Jews are admitted into the fighting armies of the Services in Palestine and Transjordania: gendarmerie, frontier force, Air Force and armoured cars?

Mr. AMERY

Thirty-seven Jews were serving with the Trans-Jordan Frontier Force at the end of 1926. Palestinian Jews are not recruited for the Air Force or the armoured cars; but they are employed as civilians in subordinate capacities in connection with those units. The gendarmerie has been disbanded.

Colonel WEDGWOOD

May I ask how long this insulting exclusion of Jews from the armed forces in the country which is supposed to be their homeland is to continue?

Mr. AMERY

There is no such exclusion; they are serving in the local forces.

Colonel WEDGWOOD

But they are only in civilian rôles in the armed forces.

Mr. AMERY

No; they are serving in the local forces in every capacity, but in British forces recruited here they are only enlisted for certain auxiliary purposes.