Reinforced detachments of police and British troops were stationed in strategic points throughout Palestine tonight ready to cope with any Arab disturbances which, starting in Jaffa yesterday, continued last night and today. A strong feeling of tension prevailed over a wide area, from the port cities of Jaffa and Haifa to Safed, in Galilee, to the north, and Hebron and Jerusalem to the south, as spasmodic attacks on the authorities by Arab mobs continued.
In Jaffa, scene of a battle yesterday between 10,000 Arabs and police who broke up a demonstration against Jewish immigration into Palestine, which resulted in the death of ten rioters, the wounding of more than a hundred, the death of a native policeman and the wounding of others, the funerals of the slain men passed off quietly in an air of great suspense hanging over the city. A native policeman, wounded in yesterday’s affray, died today.
Mobs of enraged Arabs engaged in two battles with the police in Haifa today, resulting in the death of at least one and the wounding of a score more. Several Jews suffered injuries, two seriously enough to require hospital treatment when the Arab rioters, driven back in their attempts to seize control of the railway station and police headquarters, began smashing vehicles and set fire to a Jewish-owned bus in which the injured men were passengers.
SEEK TO FREE PRISONERS
The Haifa disorders continued throughout the morning as the Arabs sought to free prisoners taken by the police following yesterday’s rioting at Jaffa. A curfew was established in order to clear the streets. Haifa was the scene of heavy disorders last night when a mob, infuriated by exaggerated reports of the police actions at Jaffa, brought back by some of the demonstrators last night, charged the police station. The police were compelled to use their firearms to restore order.
Grave anxiety is being felt by the Jewish population in Haifa and many Jewish families have left their homes in the mixed quarters of the city for a safer refuge.
An official government communique this morning stated that 2,000 Arabs attempted to storm the railway station and police headquarters this morning and that the situation was under control there.
DISPERSE JERUSALEM CROWD
In Jerusalem, the police this morning dispersed a crowd which gathered at the home of Musa Kazem, head of the Palestine Arab Executive, with the intention of demonstrating its sympathy with the victims of yesterday’s rioting.
Later in the day, police here were compelled to fire several volleys into the air to disperse a mob engaged in stoning a mounted British constable carrying dispatches.
A general strike, proclaimed in Jerusalem by the Palestine Arab Executive, closed all Arab shops and suspended bus line schedules.
Sir Arthur Grenfell Wauchope, Palestine High Commissioner, received an Arab delegation which included only one member of the Arab Executive, Musa Kazem. In response to the delegation’s protests at the strict measures employed by the police to uphold the government prohibition of demonstrations against Jewish immigration, Sir Arthur declared it justified.
ENLIST SPECIAL CONSTABLES
Government authorities today began enlisting special constables from among the British civil population to reinforce the police in Jerusalem, Jaffa and Haifa. Scores of Jewish and Arab buses and automobiles were commandeered by the military authorities for transportation of troops from riot areas.
The military authorities assumed control of Safed where, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency learned, considerable anxiety is felt. It is believed that sufficient forces are available there to maintain order.
Hebron, the scene of a massacre of Jews in 1929, was tense in anticipation of trouble but the police there were prepared and ready to cope with any emergency that might arise.
In anticipation of the spread of Arab discontent to Transjordania and Syria, British troops were mobilized at Cairo, ready to proceed to the trouble areas at a moment’s notice. Rumors reached this city that Transjordan Bedouins and Moslems in Syria were ready to join with the Palestine Arabs. Nablus, the scene of an ugly riot last night in which one of the demonstrators was killed, several wounded, and a British constable stabbed in the back, was quiet today.
AGAINST BRITISH OFFICIALS
Thus far, the demonstrations, although directed against Jewish immigration into Palestine, have not been against the Jews but against the British authorities governing Palestine under League of Nations mandate. Whether the nationalist leaders in the Arab Executive responsible for the attempted demonstrations in the face of government prohibition and warning of stern measures, could check the large fraction of aroused Arabs is a question.
The strong measures taken by the authorities to restore order and to prevent demonstrations, have also included the arrest of a number of Arab leaders. Among those arrested today and last night were Aouni Bey, prominent extremist; Jacob Ghussein, youth leader, and Jamel el Husseini Izzat Darwaza and Said el Khalili, members of the Arab Executive.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
