Immigration to Palestine

Report Outline
Pressure for Action on Jewish Immigration
British and American Policies on Palestine
Conflict of Jewish and Arab Claims

Pressure for Action on Jewish Immigration

Resolutions on Palestine Pending in Congress

Resolutions awaiting action in the present Congress call for the use of its good offices by the Government of the United States to open the doors of Palestine “for free entry of Jews into that country …so that the Jewish people may ultimately reconstitute Palestine as a free and democratic Jewish commonwealth.”

Similar resolutions received strong support at the 1944 session of Congress but action was withheld at the request of the Executive Branch. A secret session of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was told by Chief of Staff Marshall in March, 1944, that adoption of such a resolution would have adverse effects throughout the Moslem world, threatening serious interference with Allied military operations. The War Department's objections were withdrawn in October, but a new request for delay was entered in December by the Department of State.

During the 1945 session, to date, pressure for a congressional declaration on Palestine has been withheld by Jewish organizations—in the hope that new decisions on Palestine will shortly be announced by Prime Minister Churchill, Premier Stalin and President Roosevelt. If the problems of Palestine are not dealt with in the communique on political questions, to be issued at the conclusion of the present Black Sea conference, renewed pressure for a declaration of policy by the American Congress can be expected in full force.