British Police Memo on 1948 Exodus

10/PS

SECRET
A/A.I.C. C.I.D.

District Police Headquarters
(C.I.D.) P.O.B. 700 Haifa

26th April, 1948

Subject:- General Situation – Haifa District

The situation in Haifa remains unchanged. Every effort is being made by the Jews to persuade the Arab populace to stay and carry on with their normal lives, to get their shops and businesses open and to be assured that their lives and interests will be safe. On the other side the evacuation goes on and a large road convoy escorted by Military and containing a large percentage of Christians left Haifa for Beirut yesterday. An estimated number of 700 has been given for this convoy and evacuation by sea goes on steadily. At the same time the convoy and evacuation of women, children and older inhabitants from Tireh and surrounding villages has become a problem and these are taking refuge in a disused army camp near Tireh. They are being carried out to Transjordan and Military lorries have been loaned to get this section clear. At the moment it looks as if the greater part of very healthy crops which will soon require attention are going to be abandoned and lost.

Tireh was attacked again yesterday morning but managed to repulse the attack. There have been no other incidents reported.
A.J. Bidmead for SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE

Copy to – District Commissioner, Haifa
Superintendent of Police, Haifa
File

This letter was among documents in British Police files taken over by the Haganah when the British evacuated Haifa in May 1948. See S. Katz, Battleground, Bantam Books 1973.