§ The Secretary of State for the Colonies (Mr. Creech Jones)The Government recently had conversations with representatives of the Jewish Agency on the serious state of affairs in Palestine and the possibility of reducing the present tension. These conversations were reported by the Agency representatives to the Inner Zionist Council meeting in Palestine on 29th October. One of the resolutions subsequently issued by that body was in the following terms:
The Inner Zionist Council declares that the Zionist Movement has always rejected and continues to reject terrorist bloodshed as an instrument of political struggle. The banner of Zionism must be kept pure and unbesmirched. The Inner Zionist Council denounces without reservation the bloodshed caused by groups of terrorists who defy national discipline and thereby place themselves outside the ranks of the organised community. These deeds defile the struggle of the Jewish people and distort its character; they strengthen the hands of the opponents of Zionism and the enemies of the Jewish people. The Council calls upon the Yishuv to isolate these groups and to deny them all encouragement, support and assistance.With this resolution in mind and the declarations of other leaders in the past few weeks, the Government have considered the continued detention of the Jewish leaders and have decided to authorise the High Commissioner to release them. Their decision is being announced in the following communique, which is being issued in Jerusalem this afternoon: 1227 "In view of the condemnation of terrorism embodied in the resolutions announced at the meeting on the 29th October of the Inner Zionist Council, which is accepted as an earnest of the intention of the Jewish Agency and of representative Jewish institutions in Palestine to dissociate themselves entirely from the campaign of violence and to do their utmost to root out this evil, His Majesty's Government have concurred in the release by the Palestine Government of the detained Jewish leaders."The House will share my hope that this action will lead to an improvement in the security situation in Palestine, and help to restore conditions in which progress can be made towards a general settlement, which is so urgently necessary.
I take this opportunity to inform the House that the release has also been approved of certain Palestinian Arabs who have been undergoing detention. The following announcement is being made this afternoon by the High Commissioner:
"His Majesty's Government have now fully considered representations made to them by the Arab delegates to the Palestine Conference on the subject of the Palestinian Arabs detained in the Seychelles. In the light of these representations, and as a gesture of good will at this time, when important decisions on the future of Palestine are in the balance, they have decided to release these detainees and to permit their return to Palestine along with two other Arabs formerly detained in the Seychelles, but already released on health grounds. In addition, an amnesty is being granted by the Palestine Government to certain other Arabs."
§ Mr. Oliver StanleyI am sure that my hon. Friends on this side of the House will watch with great interest to see whether this exemplary statement by the Inner Zionist Council is followed by definite active steps of cooperation in putting an end to this terrorism. Will the right hon. Gentleman make plain to the House, what I believe to be the case, that this is not the result of any bargain, but has been done by His Majesty's Government as being what they think is the best course for security in Palestine? Will he assure us 1228 that no one is included among the leaders to be released, against whom active complicity in any terrorist outrage can be proved in any court of law?
§ Mr. Creech JonesOn the second point, I can give a complete assurance to my right hon. Friend. In regard to the first part of the question, law and order are not matters to be bargained about. This has been done by the Government in the hope of securing closer cooperation between the Jewish Agency and the Administration in Palestine.
§ Mr. MikardoIn view of the Minister's reply to the first question of the right hon. Gentleman, does his statement mean that every person, Jew or Arab, who is detained without having been charged with any offence, is to be released; and does this apply to persons detained outside Palestine, in Eritrea, for example, as well as to those detained in Palestine?
§ Mr. Creech JonesThis statement does not apply to Eritrea. In regard to the first part of the question, I think it should be understood that there are certain persons at the moment detained under the Defence Regulations of Palestine who have been closely associated with the terrorist movement. In these cases, a most careful examination is being made of their record, and they will appear in due course before the appropriate committee under the Regulations.
§ Viscount HinchingbrookeAre the releases to be entirely unconditional; and will any of those persons of either side, Jew or Arab, require to maintain touch with the authorities and report their localities?
§ Mr. Creech JonesNo, Sir. The releases are unconditional. Those involved have, of course, been most carefully screened, and there is no requirement that they should be in close touch with the authorities.
§ Mr. Sydney SilvermanWill the Secretary of State bear in mind that many of us who have been saddened and anxious about the policy of the Government in Palestine would like to congratulate him on this wise and statesmanlike step, and echo his hope that it may be the beginning of a new cooperation between the Jewish Agency and the Mandatory Power.
§ Mr. PickthornCan the right hon. Gentleman tell us whether his first supplementary answer and the answer given just now using the word "screened" mean that it was decided as a purely legal question, that there was no prima facie case for bringing a charge of the use of violence against any of the persons now released and implicated by the White Paper issued in July, 1946?
§ Mr. Creech JonesNo, Sir, the answer is that the leaders of the Jewish Agency who were arrested then, will be released under this arrangement. There have been a large number of other arrests connected with different episodes, and these will be screened by the authorities. Those who obviously have not been connected with any act of violence are now being released.
§ Mr. GallacherIs it not the case that this statement means that none of these people committed any offences and that they should never have been arrested? Was it not an act of terrorism on the part of the Government, sweeping up these people who had committed no offences of any kind, and will any compensation be paid to them?
§ Major Legge-Bourkerose—
§ Mr. GallacherCan I have an answer?
§ Major Legge-BourkeWill the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind the desirability of trying to deal with the originators of the offences who are not necessarily the 1230 perpetrators? Will he also bear in mind the desirability of considering the feelings of the relatives of those killed as a result of terrorist activities? As he has mentioned his desire for an improvement in security, can he now inform the House of the whereabouts of the leaders of the Stern gang, and how they got out?
§ Mr. Creech JonesI am unable to answer the last part of the question. The answers to the first two parts are in the affirmative.
§ Mr. JannerWill my right hon. Friend bear in mind the fact that among those at present detained are many who fought in the Allied cause during the war, and that the leaders he is now releasing recruited some 28,000 to 30,000 Palestinian Jews and Jewesses to fight for us in the course of that war? Will he take steps speedily to release those against whom there is no cause for detention?
§ Mr. Creech JonesThe High Commissioner, through the appropriate committee, is examining the cases of everyone detained at the present time, and already, in the case of those who were suspected of activities with the Haganah, no less than 2,550 have been released, and in connection with those arrested at the time of the King David Hotel outrage, no less than 779 have been released.
§ Mr. SpeakerI think we should get on to the next Business.