PALESTINE POLICY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 December 1938, Page 7

PALESTINE POLICY

PLANS FOR IMPENDING DISCUSSIONS REPRESENTATION OF ARABS. RELEASE OF DEPORTED MEN. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.10 a.m.) RUGBY, December 7. It is announced that acceptances of invitations to attend the proposed discussions in London regarding Palestine, sent to the Governments of Egypt, Irak, Saudi. Arabia, India, Transjordan and to the Jewish Agency have been received by the British Government. The King of Yemen has also been invited to send a delegate. His reply is expected shortly. Simultaneously, to facilitate the nomination of Arab delegates from Palestine itself, the British Government has decided that full facilities to attend the discussion shall be available to Arabs selected to represent Palestine and that these facilities shall apply equally to -those Arabs who are at present deported and to those sent from Palestine.

After consultation with the High Commissioner for Palestine (Sir Harold Mac Michael) the British Government has ordered the release of those Arabs who are -now detained in the Seychelles Islands. Effect will be given to this order as soon as transport can be arranged. The release of these persons is final. Should their services be required at the discussions in London, they will be available for selection as representatives of the Arabs of Palestine and will enjoy full liberty of movement, subject only to the stipulation that they will not be allowed to • return to Palestine under present circumstances if their admission is regarded as undesirable. The Colonial Secretary’ (Mr Malcolm MacDonald) made- a statement to this effect in the House of Commons, and in reply to further questions insisted that the selection of Palestinian Arab representatives was primarily a matter for the Palestinian Arabs themselves, to whom it must be left to make their own decision.