British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume I - Page 215

CHAPTER VII.
(b) the purchase or charter of small vessels for the secret disembarkation on the coast of Palestine of parties of illegal immigrants.

69. For the prevention of illegal immigration of both these types reliance must be placed ultimately on the Governments of the countries of embarkation. For the time being the British military authorities in Italy and Greece can afford some degree of direct. assistance and can assist in making effective preventive action by the local administrations, hut this situation is presumably transient, and reliance must of course be placed on the various Governments' sense of their international obligations.

70. As an interim measure and following the successful outcome of sn experimental attempt, British police officers of the Government of Palestine having the powers of immigration officers will, so long as the situation permits, be sent to arrange with the British authorities at the ports of departure in Italy and Greece for effective supervision of the embarkation of parties of certified Jewish immigrants whose impending despatch to Palestine is notified to the Palestine Government.

71. The prevention of illegal immigration by means of small vessels expressly purchased or chartered for secret voyage to the Palestine coast presents considerable difficulty. Reliance must be placed in the first instance on interception at sea. The Royal Navy has power to stop vessels on the high seas in certain circumstances recognized under international usage and .to conduct them into port for examination. These powers are not, however, fully comprehensive. The sea-patrols of the Palestine Police Force are of course restricted to the territorial waters of Palestine. It is thus a matter of no great difficulty for small parties of illegal immigrants to approach the Palestine coast and under cover of darkness to enter territorial waters and land without detection by sea patrols.

72. Preventive measures comprise sea-patrols by ships of the Royal Navy and launches" of the Palestine Police working in conjunction with the coastguard stations ** on land.

* Three out of four of the launches or the Palestine Police were sabotaged by Jewish terrorists on the night of 31st October,1st November, 1945, and two of these are in consequence no longer available for sea patrols. Replacements had not arrived by the end of 1945 .

** Two out of four coastguard stations were attacked by Jewish terrorists on the night of 24/25th November, end severely damaged by explosives.

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