Event · Migration
Migrant ship reached Haifa
A migrant ship carrying Bialystok survivors was towed to Haifa.
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Primary source passage
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... For almost a year, we have been wandering like
nomads, from one camp to another, from one country
to the next, climbing over mountains, crossing borders
to reach our fatherland — the land of Israel. On an old
merchant ship, which we named Patria (birthplace), we
drew close to Israel’s shores. But our ship contained a
breech in its underbelly, which allowed water to rush
through. Moreover, we failed to circumvent the British
coast guard. An airplane spotted our ship and soon
afterward tugboats pulled us to the port of Haifa. Fol-
lowing a long and bitter resistance, we were beaten and
tear-gassed to transfer to another boat, which took us
to Cyprus. Now we are in a concentration camp behind
two rows of barbed-wire fences, under continuous
watch by British soldiers. What awaits us in Cyprus 1s
life without freedom. ...Connected nodes