Many Arrests Made

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 760, 5 September 1929, Page 9

Many Arrests Made

BLOODSHED IN PALESTINE Strong Government Action ANOTHER WAILING WALL THREAT (United r.A.—By Telegraph — Copyriph: i Australian and X.Z. Press Association ) (United Service} Received 11 a.m. JERUSALEM. Wednesday. TIIE Supreme Moslem Council has begun to erect a new building immediately above the Wailing Wall, despite Jewish protests. The Government is considering the matter The High Commissioner for Palestine. Sir John Chancellor, lias issued a proclamation stating that all without distinction, race or creed, will be brought to trial.

It is now reported that cases of Jews molesting Arabs, both Christian and Moslem, are increasing the difficulties of the police. Strong Government action prevented Moslem demonstrations at Jerusalem. Jaffa. - Haifa and Nablus. Two hundred Arabs were arrested at Lifta and 120 at Hebron, where many Jews were previously massacred. The Jerusalem correspondent of “The Times" says the Palestine Arab executive has broadcast a manifesto declaring that most of the Jews have armed themselves and that the Government has armed others. The Arabs deny that any Jews have been mutilated, but assert that Jews have mutilated certain Arabs. The manifesto alleges that Jewish mobs have killed isolated Arab women and children and that Jews committed the first murders of women and children. A further statement is that disciplined British troops have shot Arab women and children in their homes and in their beds. The troubles in Palestine are allaged to be directly due to Britain’s Zionist policy, which, the manifesto asserts, aims at the annihilation of the Arab nation because Britain favours reviving the non-existent Jewish nation. The Arabs insist upon an impartial inquiry not influenced by Zionism.

BRITISH TROOPS WIN

MOUNTED ARABS REPULSED WITH LOSS ATTACK ON TALPIOTH British Official W irclcss Reed. 11 a.m. RUGBY, Wed. The Colonial Office states that on Monday night a party o£ mounted Arabs attacked the village of Talpioth, two miles south of Jerusalem, which was occupied by British troops. The attack was repulsed with loss to the assailants. Our troops, in conjunction with the Palestine police, have carried out searches based on Jaffa, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem, 170 arrests being made. At the village of Weleta, in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem, 60 individuals, including two important agitators, have been arrested. Rumours continue to indicate a passage of Arabs into Palestine on the north-eastern frontier. No concerted tribal movement is believed to be taking place; but an isolated marauding hand maintains uni'est in that area. The Haifa Gaza and Jaffa areas are all reported quiet, and the transjordan is tranquil. The whole country is being systematically patrolled by aircraft. SPECTACULAR BATTLE The special correspondent of the “Daily Express" at Jerusalem says a spectacular fight occurred between Bedouin Arabs and British troops on Sunday evening. Three companies of infantry, supported by armoured cars and airplanes, came to grips with 1,000 tribesmen on the open plain between Tiberias and Hattin. The Arabs had previously ransacked the latter town. A fierce struggle ensued, and 12 Arabs were killed and many were wounded. Eight were captured and sent to Tiberias. A company of the South Wales Borderers with airplanes and seaplanes surrounded the Arab town of Lifta, north-west of Jerusalem, on the same evening. Other raids were made on Arab villages in the Jerusalem area. In all cases the Arabs in the towns and villages were surprised, their loot was recaptured and prisoners were taken. ATTACK BY NIGHT The Arabs made a determined night attack upon the South Wales Borderers at Talpioth. They were met by a brisk sweeping fire of Lewis guns from the roofs of the houses.

After two hours the Arabs vanished j in the darkness. The authorities are satisfied with \ the general position, but there are still 1 mobile forces of armed Arabs mounted j on horses and camels on the plains j north of the Sea of Galilee. Troops near Jericho, however, are prepared for all eventualities. Jerusalem has taken on its normal , air of patriarchal respectability. News- j vendors were selling newspapers to- • day for the first time for a fortnight, j The papers are censored. They bear j a heavy black mourning border, and invariably the one common heading j in bold back letters. “Seven Days of ; Bloodshed and Horrors in Palestine.” ; The shops in Jerusalem are being j reopened, and armed sentries are i posted at important points-

INQUIRY COMMISSION

PRESS APPROVES PASSFIELD DECISION UNANIMOUS ENDORSEMENT British Official Wireless Reed. 11.10 a.m. RUGBY, Wed. j The announcement that a Commis- j sion of Inquiry into the Palestine in-1 cidents is being appointed is approved by the Press. The “Daily Telegraph” says the Colonial Secretary's (Lord Passfield) prompt action is admirable. The “Daily Chronicle" says the terms of reference for the inquiry are the right ones, and it entirely approves of the firm words in which it is stated in the official announcement that his Majesty’s Government has no idea of reconsidering Britain’s tenure of the mandate, and no inquiry is contemplated which might alter the position of this country in regard to the mandate or the policy laid down in the Balfour Declaration. The “Manchester Guardian,” discussing the appointment of the commission and the statement on the subject by the Prime Minister at Geneva, says that the troubles in Palestine seem to have subsided almost completely. “They were serious enough w nne they lasted, but the Jehad or holy wa r which some observers seem to have anticipated has not materialised. There is a certain effervescence in the Moslem world, but it is not warlike. “The attitude of that great statesman, Ibn Saud.Ws of real importance, for his influence in the Arab world is unsurpassed. He left no doubt that he does not dream of promoting anti-British movements in Palestine. Indeed, his sentiments appear to be in complete harmony -vith the theme of Mr. MacDonald, whose statement at Geneva should give satisfaction to all.”

BRITAIN WARNED

DANGER IN EGYPT AND INDIA (Australian and K.Z. Press Association) (United Service) VANCOUVER, Tuesday. A warning to the British Government that the outbreak in Palestine is only “a bloody foretaste” of what will happen in Egypt and India if the protecting and guiding hand of Britain is withdrawn was uttered today by Mr. Winston Churchill, former Chancellor of the Exchequer in Britain. The, speaker said he had no doubt j that the dismissal of Lord Lloyd from I the High Commissionership of Egypt, and the proposal of the Labour Government to remove the British garrisons front Cairo and Alexandria, had been taken as a sign of weakness by j the Arabs in Palestine.