Jews Protest the British White Paper of 1939, The Death Sentence for Millions of European Jews

Anti-White Paper demonstration outside of Jerusalem's
Yeshurun Synagogue. Also see here.  Procession led by
Chief Rabbi Isaac Herzog (in top hat). At least 9 Torah
scrolls are in the procession. May 18, 1939

The British Mandatory forces brutally crushed the Arab Revolt in Palestine (1936-1939) with martial law, the destruction of Arab villages and neighborhoods, air strikes, collective punishment, more than 100 executions, and several thousand Arab dead.

The Arab militias had succeeded in killing hundreds of Jews and destroying Jewish villages, farms and businesses, but their biggest success was political.

Another demonstration held outside
of Jerusalem's Edsen cinema

The Arab terrorist militias succeeded in forcing a change in British policy toward Jewish immigration to Palestine and the establishment of a Jewish State as promised in the Balfour Declaration in 1917 and the British Peel Commission Report of 1937 which called for the partitioning of Palestine into Arab and Jewish states.

Another Jerusalem protest held at the
corner of King George and
Agrippas Streets, May 18, 1939

In 1939, the British government headed by Neville Chamberlain issued the "MacDonald White Paper," a policy paper which called for the establishment of a single Palestine state governed by Arabs and Jews based on their respective populations.  [The Arabs greatly outnumbered the Jews.]  Moreover, a limit of only 75,000 Jews would be permitted into Palestine over a five year period, and the transfer of land from Arabs to Jews would be prohibited.  Here are excerpts:  

His Majesty's Government therefore now declare unequivocally that it is not part of their policy that Palestine should become a Jewish State....  Although it is not difficult to contend that the large number of Jewish immigrants who have been admitted so far have been absorbed economically, the fear of the Arabs that this influx will continue indefinitely until the Jewish population is in a position to dominate them has produced consequences which are extremely grave for Jews and Arabs alike and for the peace and prosperity of Palestine.  ... [If] immigration is continued up to the economic absorptive capacity of the country, regardless of all other considerations, a fatal enmity between the two peoples will be perpetuated.

Young women outside of a "recruiting
office" during the protests against the
White Paper. The women on the right
are identified as "revisionists."



Demonstration of women in Jerusalem
on May 22, 1939 as they confront
a cordon of British police near the
 King David Hotel

The White Paper was approved by the British Parliament in May 1939, thus signing the death sentences of millions of Jews precisely when the Nazi tide was threatening to engulf Europe.

The Jews of Palestine protested and demonstrated, as evidenced in the dozens of pictures taken by the American Colony photographers and archived at the Library of Congress.