HC Deb 12 April 1948 vol 449 cc626-30
Mr. Oliver Stanley

(by Private Notice) asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any statement to make about the capture of Deir-Yassin by Jews last Friday and the reports of a widespread massacre of the villagers including many women and children.

The Secretary of State for the Colonies (Mr. Creech Jones)

I still await a detailed report from the High Commissioner about this matter. He informed me on Saturday that investigations were proceeding as rapidly as possible. His preliminary report states that approximately 200 Jews attacked the Arab village of Deir Yassin in the Jerusalem district on the 9th of April. Eight armoured vehicles drove into the village and laid explosive charges, which destroyed five houses. In a Press conference given by a Jewish spokesman for the Irgun Zvai Leumi and Stern Group near Jerusalem in the evening of 9th April to American and Jewish correspondents, it was claimed that of the 700 Arab inhabitants of the village zoo had been killed, approximately half of whom were women and children, and 200 wounded. One hundred and forty had been taken prisoner, removed to Jerusalem and later released. The remainder escaped into the hills.

The whole affair points to another brutal and appallingly cruel outrage. I can hardly express the horror with which His Majesty's Government regard such barbarous action. These acts shock the world and arouse deep anger and bitterness and make the prospect of settlement recede still further. As soon as I receive a further report from the High Commissioner I will arrange for another statement to be made to the House.

Mr. Stanley

In view of the fact that His Majesty's Government retain responsibility for life and property in Palestine until 15th May, do the Government propose to take any other steps than that of expressing regret?

Mr. Creech Jones

I think it will be appreciated that the resources of the military at present are stretched to the full and that they have already been able to defend large numbers of Arab villages and large numbers of Jewish settlements. At the same time, they are engaged in withdrawing, but they are fully alive to the importance of preventing civil war developing and the clash of the two sides, and every conceivable step which can be taken with their limited resources, the military are taking.

Mr. Stanley

While recognising the limitations upon the military during withdrawal, may I ask, whether, if in fact they are now unable to maintain security and carry out the obligations of the Mandate in certain areas of Palestine, it would not be better to inform the United Nations organisation about that straight away, and not go on carrying a burden they are no longer able to carry?

Mr. Creech Jones

The United Nations are fully aware of the difficulties confronting the Government during the evacuation both of the civil administration and of the troops, but it is important that our civil administration should be wound up in such a way that there is not a duplication of authority in Palestine, because then the security situation would become very much worse. We cannot have divided responsibility as between the British authorities on one side, and the United Nations on the other.

Mr. Pickthorn

May I ask three questions? First, without in the least wishing to reflect at all on the military there, is the right hon. Gentleman meaning now to announce that it is quite hopeless to look in future for any attempt to detect or arrest perpetrators of such outrages? Secondly, when he says that the Irgun claim to be responsible for these massacres, can he give the exact words, so as to show clearly what they claim? Thirdly, what, if any, opinions or information have His Majesty's Government from the Jewish Agency?

Mr. Creech Jones

We have received no message from the Jewish Agency, except that they have made a public statement condemning this outrage. In regard to the first point, I think the House should appreciate that there is a considerable protective work done by the military forces in all parts of Palestine and that the military are very much engaged already not only in keeping lines of communication open but in defending the settlements both of the Jews and of the Arabs.

Mr. Pickthorn

May I have an answer to my second question? When it is said that the Irgun claim to be responsible for this horrible outrage, what are the words the Irgun used to make it possible for us to accuse them of having claimed such a thing?

Mr. Creech Jones

As I said, 1 will make a further statement, but I have not got the exact words which the Irgun used.

Mr. Pickthorn

The right hon. Gentleman said "claimed."

Mr. Lipson

Does the Colonial Secretary propose to ask the Jewish Agency to follow up their condemnation of this outrage by giving every possible assistance to get hold of the perpetrators?

Mr. Creech Jones

I am afraid it is of little use asking the Jewish Agency to do anything further. From time to time we have appealed to them for the fullest co-operation with the civil authorities in rooting out terrorism and bringing to our notice these conspiracies, which are calculated to create so much havoc among the Jewish and Arab peoples.

Earl Winterton

Will the right hon. Gentleman explain how it is that one set of Jewish terrorists claim credit, if it is credit, for this, and another set of Jewish terrorists, mainly the Haganah, controlled by the Jewish Agency, regret it? Is it fact that these two sets of thugs are fighting each other, instead of the Arabs?

Mr. Creech Jones

If the noble Lord will await the statement, I think it is possible he will discover that the Haganah are to some extent involved in these operations.

Colonel Gomme-Duncan

Did I understand the right hon. Gentleman to say that the perpetrators of these outrages were in the possession of 14 armoured vehicles? If so, can he give any information where they came from?

Mr. Creech Jones

They were in possession of eight armoured vehicles, but I have no knowledge of their origin.

Mr. Peter Thorneycroft

If I heard aright, the right hon. Gentleman said that the Irgun had a more or less official Press conference, at which they announced that they had successfully perpetrated this outrage and correspondents, British and American, attended. If this took place, why were not arrests made on the spot?

Mr. Creech Jones

What I said was that a Jewish representative had met American and Jewish correspondents and had conveyed the information to these correspondents of this battle in the hills, but beyond that we have no knowledge.

Mr. Swingler

Is it not clear that there is open warfare in Palestine now, and that our military commanders are given an impossible task? Would it not be far better to admit the situation, and tell the United Nations organisation what are the facts?

Major Beamish

While fully appreciating the immense difficulties under which British troops have to operate in Palestine, may I ask if the fact that no British troops were able to go to a village within five minutes' drive of Jerusalem to stop this massacre mean that no mobile troops are left in Jerusalem?

Mr. Creech Jones

I think that question must be left—[HON. MEMBERS: "No."] As to the disposition of troops in Palestine during this very difficult situation, I ask the House to remember that not only are the troops engaged in guarding frontiers and keeping open lines of communication, preventing civil war and defending various villages and settlements, but are also in packing up and preparing for withdrawal. This is a very heavy task on the military at present.

Earl Winterton

Cannot the right hon. Gentleman tell us who these Jewish correspondents were who claim to have interviewed these self-confessed murderers, scoundrels and anarchists who confessed that they have murdered 100 women and children? Why cannot these so-called Jewish correspondents be arrested?

Mr. Creech Jones

I have no information. I must ask the noble Lord to await my further statement.

Mr. H. Hynd

Will my right hon. Friend make it perfectly clear that in condemning such murderous outrages his condemnation extends equally to incidents like the attack the other day on the Jewish settlement of Mishmar Haemek and the bombardment of the Jewish quarter in Jerusalem?

Mr. Pickthorn

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell us about these Jewish correspondents, to what nationalities they belong, who they were? Were any of them British subjects?

Mr. Creech Jones

I have no further information. When the information comes to hand the House shall be informed.