§ Mr. Sorensenasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any further statement to make about the capture of the Arab village of Deir Yassin in Palestine by Jews on 9th April.
Mr. McNeilI have been asked to reply. My right hon. Friend has now received additional information from the High Commissioner. The figure of Arab casualties given to the House on 12th April has been confirmed by a visit to the village by a representative of the International Red Cross, who has stated that in one cave he saw the heaped bodies of some 150 Arabs, men, women and children, whilst in a well a further 50 bodies were found. The approaches to the village are strongly held by Hagana and the Palestine Police could not enter to conduct investigations without a considerable show of force. The terrorist groups claim that Hagana facilitated the mounting of their attack on Deir Yassin, although the Jewish Agency issued a statement on 12th April expressing118W horror and disgust at the barbarity of the manner in which this action had been carried out by the terrorists. The Zionist General Council, however, meeting in Tel Aviv on the same day, ratified an agreement for co-operation between the Hagana and the Irgun Zvai Leumi. Units of the Hagana have now taken over occupation of Deir Yassin from the members of the terrorist groups who originally attacked the village.
Invitations to the Press conference given by a Jewish spokesman for the Irgun Zvai Leumi and the Stern Group, which took place in the heavily guarded Jewish settlement of Givat Shaul, near Deir Yassin, were issued by telephone to selected American and Jewish correspondents. The fact that this conference had taken place was not known to the authorities until the following day. No correspondents of British newspapers were invited.
In view of the difficulties of military operations against the village, which would probably be very costly in British lives, the High Commissioner, in consultation with the Air Officer commanding arranged for an air strike against the terrorists, with the object of turning them out of the village. Before the attack could take place it became known, beyond the possibility of doubt, that the members of the terrorists' groups who had originally occupied the village had left. In these circumstances it was decided not to proceed with the air operations.
It must be realised that with the progressively reduced strength of our Armed Forces as our withdrawal proceeds, intervention in every instance of violence between Arab and Jew is not practicable. Within the limited resources available, however, every possible action will be taken to prevent the spread of civil conflict and to punish those responsible for such barbarous acts.