WITHDRAWAL BEGUN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26621, 18 November 1947, Page 5

WITHDRAWAL BEGUN

TROOPS FROM PALESTINE STORES PRESENT PROBLEM LONDON. Nov. 10. The withdrawal of the British Army and of military stores from Palestine has begun by sea from Haifa and overland across the Egyptian border to Port Said, and will reach full momentum in five months, says the Jerusalem correspondent of The Times. Army officials estimate, however, that the haste dictated by recent political events will result in over half the present stores, totalling 210,000 tons, being left behind. By next August nothing of military value will be left; consequently the stores remaining will be largely camp equipment, installations, vehicles, and engineering material. The stores which are not going to the United Kingdom will go to new depots in East Africa. • The evacuation of Palestine now has equal priority with the evacuation of Egypt, and where possible men will accompany the stores to Egypt for embarkation. The number of troops in Egypt is much less than the 70,000 to 80,000 now in Palestine, but there are 1,500,000 tons of stores in Egypt, and by the time the last British soldier leaves Egypt under the present planning there will be still 1,000,000 tons remaining. . British soldiers and administrators, The Times points out, have worked patiently for a quarter of a century to make Palestine a peaceful home for Jews and Arabs. They have heard all sides and been shot at from all sides, and it is not surprising that they feel that Palestine is a burden equitably to be borne on international shoulders. Britain, as an active member of the United Nations, will always share in the responsibilities of trusteeship, adds The Times, but only if the task is put on the basis of team work. A report from Jerusalem says that most of the Arabs still believe there is a “catch” in Sir Thomas Cadogen’s statement. . They point out that it would be almost physically impossible to withdraw nearly 100,000 troops and -huge riulitary stores/-by August. Jewish reaction is more, mixed. Some Jews accuse Britain of adopting a “niggardly- attitude” in “not facing ‘her. obligations.’-’ Others still hope that. Britain, will implement the United Nations decision on partition. A- Jerusalem message says that the High .Commissioner, Sir; Alan Cunningham, has ordered British residents- in Jerusalem to remain within the fortified security, zones between 5.30 p.m. and 6 a.m. daily, and Britons living outside the zones to stay at home.

It is officially believed that between 150 and 200 immigrants have landed from the ship Aliya on the beach at Naharia, north of Haifa. The Aliya was found empty this morning on the shore near Ras-en-Naqura, which is close to the Palestine-Lebanon frontier. The Jewish colony of Naharia is 10 miles 1 south of Ras-en-Naqura. It is reported that Haganah lorries awaited the immigrants at the landing spot and took them to Jewish settlements. / The navy intercepted a second ship, the Kadima, last night. Two destroyers escorted the Kadima to Haifa and the' navy boarded the vessel without’incident. . .

Reuter’s correspondent reports that the police found aboard the Aliya American army blankets and American tinned food, as well as charts and documents. A general army and police alert has been ordered throughout Palestine. At dusk this evening the Runnyrnede Park sailed for Cyprus with 781 of 794 Jewish illegal immigrants disembarked from the Kadima. Four women and one child were taken to hospital. Jewish sources in Haifa said that most of those who got ashore from the Aliya were aged between 18 and 20, and were specially trained for beachhead landings. A message from Damascus states that the President of Syria, Shukri Bey el Kuwatti, reviewing 5000 troops on manoeuvres 30 miles from the Palestine border, said Syria would defend the integrity of Arab Palestine to the last man.