Acquisition of Palestinian Citizenship & Illegal Immigration in Palestine before 1948 (Nakba), British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Supplement - Page 23

Year I Applications I Certificates
submitted delivered
1925 to 1944 I 97,370 89,922
1945 3,804 3,119
1946 5,777 6,900
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____ TOTAL 99,941-


The total number of persons who acquired Palestinian citizenship by reason of the naturalization of husbands and fathers or mothers during the period August, 1925 to December, 1946, was 146,246*. Complete statistics showing naturalization of non-Jews are not available. It is estimated that they represent approximately 1 % of the total.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION ( into Palestine)

(a) Manner and Volume.

(p. 210) (§ 53)

Entry by sea which was the characteristic method of illegal immigration in the period May to September, 1939, was resumed in November, 1945, and has continued up to the present time with ever increasing intensity. From the 15th December, 1945, up to 14th March, 1947, 13,989 Jewish illegal immigrants were deducted from the monthly quotas and on 1st April, 1947, there were 13,330 persons in detention in Palestine and Cyprus awaiting their turn for release under the monthly quotas.

(§ 54)

It is clear that there is necessarily much that is conjectural in an estimate of the volume of illegal immigration. The estimated number of Jewish illegal immigrants at April, In39,, is generally held to be of the order of 30,000-40,000. The Jewish Agency indeed add 37 ,000 to the official estimates of the Jewish population of Palestine. Since April, 1939, most of the illegal immigration has been recorded. By and large the estimated number of Jewish illegal immigrants since April, 1939, is of the order of 30,000-35,000. It follows that the Jewish population may now include between 60,000 and 70,000 illegal immigrants who have settled in Palestine at anY time since 1920 when the first Immigration Ordinance was enacted.

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* Includes the figure 99,941 shown above under certificates delivered.

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