DEAD STREW THE PLAINS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 755, 30 August 1929, Page 9

DEAD STREW THE PLAINS

PUNITIVE MEASURES BY BRITISH TROOPS INDESCRIBABLE VANDALISM (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) Reed. 1.20 p.m. LONDON, Thursday. A Beirut message states that the British authorities have closed all the roads in Palestine between the towns and villages. The whole of Palestine Is now under military control. Airplanes fired on the rebels in the village of Sougahil, from where looting was carried out. The troops later captured 50 villagers during a bayonet charge. The special correspondent at Jerusalem of the “Daily Express” says British troops were in action for the first time a few miles from Bethlehem on the peak of the hills which dominate Jerusalem and form a gateway to Transjordinia. Two companies of the King's Regiment, a squadron of Bristol fighting airplanes and armoured cars were detailed to encircle the village of Surbaiyah and capture a band of Arab gunmen. Tbe troops seized many Arabs in tbeir bed's. They also recovered loot taken in recent raids. Hundreds of other Arabs fled as the troops approached. They were pur- ! sued by mounted policemen and were intercepted by machine-gun fire from low-flying airplanes. The plains were strewn with dead when the correspondent visited the area. It would be impossible to exaggerate the vandalism of the Arabs, says the writer. They have plundered the houses of wealthy Jews. Pianos have , teen battered to pieces, picture have been slashed, and everything breakable has been smashed to smithereens. All Jewish burials are carried out secretly. The bodies are taken to the Mount of Olives by night under the escort of armoured cars. DEMONSTRATIONS IN SYRIA Telegrams from Cairo state that the demonstrations in Syria are increasing. Ten thousand Christians and Moslems, headed by clergy carrying crosses and Moslem banners, marched through the streets of Beirut crying, “Palestine for the Arabs.” A detachment of cavalry accomj panied the procession with the object I of preventing breaches of the peace, j Former Turkish officers have formed a force of 600 men at Nablus, Palesi tine, with the avowed object of sur- : rounding Jerusalem. Forces of Bedouins made terrific j onslaughts on the Jews at Tiberias, | Nablus and Safed. ’ News from Damascus, Syria, states

that the “Deaf Pasha” leader of the Druses, intends to march on Jerusalem to protect the Mosque of Omar.