§ Mr. A. Allenasked the Secretary of State for War what steps he is taking to counteract the campaign of anti-British propaganda now being carried on by means of charges of maltreatment of Jewish prisoners of war by our troops in Palestine, in view of its inflammatory effects upon Jewish opinion throughout the world; whether he has considered the copy, sent to him by the hon. Member for Bosworth, of a letter from the Jewish Legion; and whether he will make a statement on the subject.
§ Sir E. Graham-Littleasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is now able to make a statement in pursuance of the inquiry he promised into the allegations of inhuman treatment by British representatives of terrorist prisoners, notably of a certain Mordecai Alkachi.
§ Mr. Bellenger,pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 23rd May, 1947; Vol. 437, C. 322], supplied the following information:
I have now received a report on these allegations, which were completely unfounded. Mordechai Alkachi was one of four Jews arrested after attempting to break through a military road block on the night of 29th December, 1946. They were all armed, and ammunition, explosives and two whips were found in their car. During the time they were in military custody they had the same food and medical treatment as military personnel. They were, however, handcuffed for security reasons. At no time were 94W they ill-treated after their arrest and they made no complaints to the officers who visited them. Alkachi was tried by a military court and sentenced to death, the sentence being carried out on 16th April, 1947. Denials of untruthful reports such as that which my hon. Friend the Member for Bosworth (Mr. A. Allen) was good enough to bring to my notice, are sent to the local Press and to representatives of the world Press in Palestine.