The entire Arab population of the mixed town ? Tiberias, in northern Palestine, was evacuated today under supervision of British bops. The evacuation was completed by early this evening at which time the Jewish charter of the town was placed under curfew.
Immediately after the evacuation, “began, the local Haganah leader proclaimed p existence of a “Jewish independent regiase11 in Tiberias. He also announced the establishment of a special Jewish military police force to keep order in the town and hard all abandoned property, including that owned by the Arabs or the government, f veil as to protect the holy places of all three religions against damage and tres?es. During the curfew hours tonight, an Arab was shot by an unidentified sniper.
The Tiberias Jewish community council issued a statement pointing out that the “Arabs have not been expelled from the town. They were the first to attack and left when the Jews replied, but they will return one day to their homes as free citizens with full rights.”
The Haganah today claimed to have captured an important Arab military leader ? Jerusalem. The man, Hanns Azouri, was kidnapped by a party of armed Jews together with Major J. Reeper, an official of the Palestine Supreme Court. Reefer was ?estioned for three hours and then was released, but Azouri, who is also said to be ? court official, is still missing.
The Jewish Agency today charged the British with being “practically a third ?rty” in the war and of aiding the Arab Legion in its anti-Jewish activities. The ?arge was made by an Agency spokesman commenting on an official government statement ?ncerning yesterday’s fierce battle at Neve Yaacob to the effect that the engagement ?s provoked by Jews firing on an Arab Legion armored patrol car.
Jewish traffic was rerouted in Jerusalem for several hours this afternoon in order to avoid King George Avenue, one of the main thoroughfares in the city, because the street was under Arab mortar fire. During an exchange of fire between the Arabs and Jewish forces in this area, British troops fired several heavy shells at the Jewish positions and wounded a number of Haganah men.
The Palestine Government has issued an official warning to all British nationals to leave the country before May 15, after which date the government cannot after them protection. The warning declared that the government would not be liable ? losses incurred by the abandonment of business and homes by Britons who followed the government’s advice
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