PALESTINE. (Hansard, 21 June 1939)

§ Colonel Wedgwood
asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any information to give as to the recent attack on Jews in Jerusalem by Britishers in plain clothes; and whether these were members of the police force or Army?

§ Sir T. Inskip
Yes, Sir. The High Commissioner has informed my right hon. Friend that nine cases of alleged unprovoked assault have been reported. These cases have been thoroughly investigated, but in none of them has it been substantiated that British police or troops were concerned.

§ Mr. T. Williams
asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will consider the appointment of a Jewish mayor of Jerusalem, seeing that Jews constitute two-thirds of the population, and contribute not less than 75 per cent, of the municipal revenue?

§ Sir T. Inskip
No, Sir. My right hon. Friend considers that it is in the public interest for the present Moslem Mayor of Jerusalem to continue in office until the expiry of the present Municipal Council in January, 1940.

§ Mr. MacLaren
asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has received official information regarding the two bomb explosions which occurred on Monday, the 19th instant, in Haifa, one in the market place and the other in 2250W Hadarha; and whether he will give the numbers of those killed and injured?

§ Sir T. Inskip
Yes, Sir. The High Commissioner for Palestine has reported that 18 Arabs were killed and 24 wounded as the result of the explosion of a bomb in the vegetable market at Haifa on the 19th June. No casualties have been reported in connection with the further bomb explosion in Hadar Hacarmel.

Mr. David Adams
asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has a statement to make as to the position in Palestine?

§ Sir T. Inskip
The situation remains substantially as described in the reply given by my right hon. Friend to a question by the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. T. Williams) on 5th June. As has been reported in the Press, a number of outrages, involving serious casualties, have occurred since that date.