VISCOUNT CRANBORNEMy Lords, I should like to ask the Government a question of which I have given them private notice—namely, whether they have any statement to make about the recent outrages in Palestine.
§ LORD AMMONMy Lords, I have been asked to reply for my noble friend Viscount Hall, who is slightly indisposed and unable to be in his place this afternoon. A statement has just been made by me Secretary of State for the Colonies in another place, and I do not think I can do better than repeat it in my right honourable friend's own words. It runs as follows:
"At half-past three on the afternoon of March I a vehicle drove into the wire defences of the Goldsmith Officers' Club in Jerusalem, while the guards were engaged by machine-gunfire from terrorists who had taken up position outside the wire defences. A heavy explosion followed which destroyed a considerable part of the building. A few hours later an attack was carried out on a car park at Haifa and a number 2 of vehicles wrecked. Other less serious outrages, of which full reports are not yet available, occurred in other parts of the country. Total casualties so far reported in this day of violence amount to eighteen killed and twenty-five injured, of whom a number are civilians. In the last month forty-eight outrages hive occurred in which twenty people hive lost their lives and thirty-one have been injured.
Following on the events of March I, the High Commissioner decided to place certain Jewish areas, from which it is well known most operations of the extreme terrorist groups are conducted, under statutory martial law. The effect of this decision is to withdraw normal facilities for civil government, including civil courts of law, from the areas concerned, and involves the closing of banks, control of entry into and departure from specified areas of persons and vehicles by order of a Military Commander, and the trial of all criminal offenders in specified areas by Military courts. Localities so far affected are a restricted Jewish area of Jerusalem and an area including Tel Aviv, Ramat Can, Benei Beraq and Petsh Tikvah. His Majesty's Government have approved this action and the authorities in Palestine will receive the full support of the Government in any further action which may prove necessary. I am sure that they will also have the support of this House.
I must again condemn these murderous outrages in Palestine. I need only acid that they can in no way help towards a solution of the problems in that country, especially at a time when His Majesty's 3 Government have announced their intention to refer the whole question to the United Nations. The House will deplore the decision of the Jewish community not to respond more wholeheartedly to the recent invitation of the High Commissioner to co-operate against the terrorists. I desire also to express the profound sympathy of His Majesty's Government and that of the House with those who have been bereaved in these recent tragic incidents. All possible steps are being taken to bring the criminals to justice."
VISCOUNT CRANBORNEMy Lords, on behalf of those who sit on these Benches I should like to express our deep indignation at these latest intolerable outrages and our most sincere sympathy with the relatives of those who have lost their lives. I would also like to ask the Government, although no doubt they will not be able to give an answer this afternoon, whether there are any further steps in contemplation beyond the imposition of martial law in certain strictly limited areas. Would it not be wiser to put the whole country under martial law instead of confining it in this way and allowing criminals to escape into areas which are not under military jurisdiction? Surely that would be more effective and would lead to more rapid results. I feel that no stone should now be left unturned, not only to bring these criminals to justice but also to prevent a recurrence of these wicked events. The present situation cannot be allowed to go on, and I can assure the Government that they will have, I am quite certain, the support of the whole House in any measures, however drastic, they find it necessary to take.
§ LORD AMMONMy Lords, I thank the noble Viscount for his expression of sympathy. Unfortunately I am not in a position to tell him what further steps have been or are likely to be taken, but I will certainly convey to my right honourable friend the feeling of this House, which is strongly condemnatory of this terrorist action, and the suggestion that the whole country should be placed under martial law.