Page 121 - ISRAEL'S CRADLE

of a large public was hunger striking, for the purpose of gaining a political achievement for their suffering brethren across the sea.
The arrangements were already made on Friday, April 12, at the National Institutions Building. As stated, each faster was housed in a room of his own. A radio device was set up in the conference room, which was named "the Central Club," and any one of the fasters who wished to do so, went there and met with his friends. On the eve of Sabbath, immediately after the end of prayers at "Yeshurun," the Central Synagogue of the Jews of Jerusalem, dozens of worshipers, including those wrapped in prayers shawls, came to visit the fasters.
Over the weekend, delegations from various locations in the Land of Israel had arrived to the courtyard in front of the entrance to the National Institutions Building. A procession of Jerusalem workers, headed by the Secretary of the City’s Workers Council, Reuven Shraibman, conducted a celebratory parade with the participation of some of the fasters.
Among the visitors were also some of members of the Executive of the Jewish Agency Eliezer Kaplan, Peretz Bernstein and Bernard Joseph (Dov Yosef in his Hebrew name), Director of the "Hadassah" Hospital Dr. Chaim Yassky, Chancellor of the Hebrew University Dr. Judah Leon Magnes, and a representative of Poalei Agudat Yisrael, Bezalel Landau. A large delegation arrived from the Mapai Branch in Tel Aviv, and three of its representatives were allowed to meet with the fasters. These were checked every few hours by a team of two doctors, Dr. Kleinberg and Dr. Margalit, who never abandoned their post for a moment. On Saturday night, it was reported that the condition of the fasters is well and that they can continue to fast.
In the meantime, earthshaking news arrived from La Spezia: The British may be willing to approve the sailing of the immigrants’ ship. This was preceded by a great drama. After the hunger strike of the immigrants entered its fourth day, it seemed that the British were seeking a solution. Harold Laski, one of the leaders of the British Labour Party which comprised the government in London, was in Italy at the time and he invited himself to the Port of La Spezia and boarded the “Fedeh.“ Apparently, he had been empowered by British Prime Minister, Clement Attlee, to find a solution.
While on the ship, he met with the leader of the immigrants, Dr. La-Paz – who as stated was Yehuda Arazi, the Chief of Aliya Bet in Italy – who conducted the struggle. Laski explained to the "doctor," who appeared weak after three and a half days of fasting, that no government in the world can afford to cave in to pressure. While justice is on their side, the immigrants must await patiently for their turn to enter the Land of Israel. Almost a year had passed since the end of World War II and to date, they had status as refugees. They would hold this status for some time...
Arazi rejected Laski׳s statements and said that the immigrants were willing to take any act of desperation, and were certain that they would eventually be permitted to make Aliya to the Land of Israel. The concerned Laski asked what acts of desperation he was speaking of. "Serious things can happen," Arazi explained to him. "Imagine that the hunger strike continues and tomorrow
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