Figure 1.--The British severely restricted Jewish immigration to Palistine after World war II in an effort to molify the Arabs. Here are Jewish refugees who managed to reach Palistine being sent to camps on Cyprus/ The press caption read, "Refugees--Haifa: Refused Entrance to the Promosed Land: D?????ed,despondent and near sick, are these eary immigrants wending their way slowly up the the gangplank of a British transportafter being refused dmittance to the promised land. The refugees, from all parts of Europe steamed into Haifa port aboard 'illegal' vessels Under British ruking they were transported to the island of Cyprusnd placed in detention camps." The phoyograph was dated September 1, 1946./i>

Jewish survivors gradually made homes in many differnt countries. The two most common choices were America and Palistine. Many Jewish DPs wanted to go to the United States and Congress passed new laws to allow increased immigrantion making this possibler. Others traumitized by the Holocaust or inspired by the Zionist dream wanted to go to Palestine. The British who controlled Palestine tried to prevent this both during and after the War because of Arab objections. The British to accomodate the Arabs set very strict quotas. Here British polocy was not just focused on Palistinian Arabs, but the wider Arab world and Iran where huge oil resoyrces had been discovered. The Hagenah organized efforts to bring Jews surepticiouly to Palestine in violation of British regulations. The Royal Navy brought Jews intercepted to internment camps on Cypres. The last British forces, however, departed (May 1948). Only after the British withdraw from Palestine did unrestricted emigration become possible. The large Soviet Jewish population was not allowed to participate in this migration until well after Isreal was established (1970s). As a result, about half of Israeli Jews are of European origins, but many came before World War II. The emigration set in motion by the NAZIs approximately doubled the Jewish population in Palestine, although we have noted varying numbers.

United States

Many Jewish DPs wanted to go to the United States, but restrictive immigration quota based on national origins made that impossible immediately after the War. President Roosevelt's most difficult political struggle was with the Isolationists before the War. They accusses him of allowing Jews to drag America into another War. This made it very difficult for him to advicate apcial Jewing quota while trying to prepare America for War. The Roosevelt Administration did not begin advocating for changes in U.S. emogration quota until the War was reachinh a conclusion. The President finally made a small concession to the increasingly vocal Jewish community which was ;earning more details of the wholesale slaughter of European Jews. Treasury Secretary Morgenthau was especially important in convincing the President to act. The President after a virtul ultimatum from Morgenthau established the War Refugee Board (WRB) to aid imperiled refugees (January 1944). The WRM with the aid of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and the World Jewish Congress, along with resistance organizations in German-occupied Europe, played a role in rescuing thousands of Jews in Hungary, Romania, and other European countris. Tragically by thius time the NAZIs had completed much of their killing. Only Hungarian Jews were largly untouched. The President also designated Fort Ontario, New York, a free port for refugees (April 1944). Resistance from Government beureacrats restricted its use. Only a few thousand refugees rom liberated areas no longer in danger from the NAZIs were alloed to reach Fort Oswego. Immigration quotas still restrictef entry to the United states and Congress was slow in making any special provision for Jews and other refugees. legislation to expedite the admission of Jewish DPs was slow in coming. The new Amerocan preside, Harry Truman., propelled into the presidency favored a a new liberal immigration policy to aid the DPs. Stimied by Congressional inaction, he issued an executive order, the "Truman Directive," (December 22, 1945). Directive, #225 was a "statement and directive by the President on Immigration to the United States of Certain Displaced Persons and Refugees in Europe". It required that existing immigration quotas be designated for DPs. While overall immigration quotas were not increased, this required Congressional action, Truman's actiom permitted more DPs. he Truman Directive allowed some 22,950 DPs, of whom two-thirds were Jewish, entered the United States (December 22, 1945 and 1947). Sizeable increases in quotas had to await Congressional action. Finlly as aesult of intense lobbying by the American Jewish community and widespread sympthy for the victims of NAZI attrocities compelled Congress to act. New legislation authorized the admission of 400,000 DPs. Nearly 80,000 of these, or about 20 percent, would prove to be Jewish, lthough there was no religious quot in the legislation. The rest were mostly Christians from Eastern Europe and the Baltics. Mot had beeb forrced laborers in NAZI camps. The entry requirements set by Congress favored agricultural laborers. President Truman charged that the law 'flagrantly discriminatory against Jews.' Congress finally amended the law (1950). By that time most of the Jewish DPs in Europe had decided to go to Israel. Some 137,450 Jewish refugees (including nearly 100,000 DPs) settled in the United States (1952).

Palestine/Israel

Large numbers of European Jews who survived the Holocaust were unwilling or unable to return to their homes after the War. Many wanted to go to American and were able to do so as aresult of changes in emigration laws. Many others wanted to go to Israel. This was more difficult. Palestinian Arabs strongly opposed this. British Mandate authorities out of desire to maintain order in Palestine and placate Arabs Governments strictly limited Jewish immigration. Jews attemoting to enter Palestine without authorization were arrested by the British and many interned in camps on Cyprus. Many Americans are familiar with this because of the Leon Uris novel Exodus. Uris explains that his book was fictional, but it was based on actual events. The Haganah obtained ships to get Jews to Israel. And one of them was Exodus. Yossi Harel was the ship commander. Harel as a teenager he joined the Hagenah served under Orde Wingate, the legendary British Zionist exponent of Jewish self-defense. Harel commanded four Haganah vessels that managed to get 24,000 Europe Jews to Palestine through clandestine maritime operations. The Haganah called the operation Aliyah Bet. The British called it "illegal immigration." The Exodus was a dilapidated excursion liner crewed by mostly American volunteers and captained by Isaac "Ike" Aronowitz--a 23-year-old Palestinian Jew who had served in the British merchant marine. Aronowitz at times argued with Harel. The Exodus was designed to accomodate 400 passengers and a crew of 58. The Hagenah managed to get Exodus out of a French port without permission and headed for Palestine (July 11, 1947).. It carried more than 4,500 Jewish refugees. A Royal Navy convoy seized the over-croded Exodus at sea while it was steaming to Palesine (July 18). The Hagenah resisted and three Jews were killed and 28 hospitalized. The British attempted to find the Hagenah leaders and ship captain, but they his in prepared places. The British brought Exodus into Haifa. A Jewish work detail Jews came aboard to clean the ship which because of the overcrowding was filthy. The Hagenah members walked off with the cleaning detail. This was not the first such incident and the siuation in the Mandate was becoming increasingly difficult. British Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin decided to "teach the Jews a lesson". The British had been interning captured Jews in detention camps on Cyprus. These camps were becoming problems in themselves. Bevin announced a new policy of returning undocumented Jews to their port of embarkation, in this case France. This policy had the advantage that the British Government would not be respobsible for the refugees as they were on Cyprus. The refugeees refused to cooperate. There were 60 infirm and elderly Jews who went ashore when the Royal Navy returned them to France in a prison ship. The remaining Jews staged a hunger strike off the French coast and refused to leave the Royal Navy prison ships. The result was a highly publicized standoff which lastd 3 weeks which proved embarassing to the British. Finally after considerable press coverage, the Royal Navy ordered the prison ships to Hamburg, Germany. There Royal Marines put the Jews ashore by force (Septeber 8). Returning Jews to Germany was not the kind of image Britain's Labor Government wanted. This untenable situation in combination with the escalating violence in Palestine must have played into the British decesion to withdraw. Harel was quite a figure. After completing his assignments with the Aliyah Bet, he worked with Israeli intelligence and then as a private businessman. In a 1988 radio interview, Harel commented, "As someone who spent many years transporting refugees, I have special feelings on the subject. It doesn't matter to me if they are Jews, Vietnamese, Palestinians or Indians. It's necessary to help refugees and people who have been exiled from their country."

Created: 3:50 PM 7/31/2016
Last updated: 3:50 PM 7/31/2016