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27th Jew Slain by Arabs; Soldier Killed in Battle at Jail

May 26, 1936
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Believed to have been slain by Arabs, Jacob Razili, 36-year-old Jewish laborer, was found dead today on the road leading to the Hebrew University on Mount Scopus.

He is the twenty-seventh Jew to have died by violence since April 15.

A Government communique announced today that an Arab was shot dead at Gaza this morning during a clash between Arab demonstrators and police.

One British soldiers was reported shot dead yesterday when an armed Arab mob attempted a daring delivery of prisoners serving terms at hard labor in the Nur el Shem prison near Tulkarem.

Reinforcements rushed from Hedera routed the attackers, who retired to the hills maintaining their fire. The convicts recently rebelled in sympathy with the anti-Jewish general strike.

Terrorists also attempted to bomb the German steamer, Richard Borchard, flying the Nazi swastika, when it entered the temporary harbor at the all-Jewish city of Tel Aviv to unload, passing up the neighboring Arab port of Jaffa. Two bombs were thrown at the ship believed to be Jewish-owned, from Arab lighters.

Eight bombs were thrown in the vicinity of Tel Aviv. A demonstration in Jaffa yesterday morning was dispersed by police fire.

A Government communique said two Arabs were shot dead and four wounded, one of them seriously, at Nablus last night when Arabs fired on the police from barricades and rooftops. The police, at first compelled to retreat, later returned with reinforcements and restored order.

More than twenty leaders of the Arab strike were arrested throughout Palestine and exiled to isolated villages.

Additional police and military precautions were taken as mounting Arab terrorism brought strong rumors that Arabs were planning to assassinate High Commissioner Sir Arthur Grenfell Wauchope.

In Nablus, a “blackhand” organization posted a notice warning soldiers not to walk the streets if they valued their lives.

Military forces were augmented at the Transjordan frontier, at the Allenby Bridge over the Jordan and at the Dead Sea following reports that Arabs were planning to invade Palestine from Transjordan. Police and troops in Jerusalem and other cities were ordered to continue wearing steel-helmets.

Special protection was given to Jewish suburbs of Jerusalem, including Beit Hakerem. Special police paid partly by the Government and partly by the residents were placed on guard.

TO INCREASE POLICE FORCE TO 3,500

Police forces will be increased from 3,000 to 3,500 on June 1 under an order issued by the High Commissioner, it was learned.

The municipalities of Hebron and Nablus officially joined the general strike against Jewish immigration and sale of land to Jews, now in its sixth week. All British families were evacuated from Nablus, where an Arab was reported killed yesterday by police.

Two Arabs, who were wounded Saturday after opening fire on military forces between Nablus and Tulkarem, died today. A Government communique said three armed Arabs were arrested for obstructing armored cars by placing stones on the Nablus road.

When Daniel Auster, a Jew, who was appointed acting mayor of Jerusalem by the High Commissioner Saturday, began cancelling municipal contracts with striking Arab firms by Wauchope’s authorization, the Arab mayor, Hussein Khalidi, returned from a leave for supposed illness and resumed the mayoralty.

French Consul-General Daumale, dean of the diplomatic corps, invited all consuls to a conference on the situation, according to the Hebrew daily, Haboker.

Saturday night more than 1,000 trees were uprooted throughout Palestine in the rising wave of terror. Telephone poles were burned in the Hefer Valley. A bomb was thrown into a crowded open-air cinema in Haifa, but no serious injuries were reported.

MANY ARAB LEADERS EXILED

After a tense but relatively quiet day, numerous clashes occurred Saturday night, resulting in the arrest of many Arab leaders at Acre, Nablus, Jaffa and Jerusalem. Jerusalem’s vice-mayor, Yacoub Farag, was placed under confinement in his home and Fakhry Nashashibi was brought from Jaffa to Jerusalem for three months’ confinement under a new Government ordinance.

A number of Arab leaders have been exiled for a year. Sidky el Dajany was sent to Beit Jibrin, Addou Khan to Yuni, Sami Faraj to Jericho and six others to Nablus and Acre.

The clashes Saturday night started when Arabs in the larger cities gathered in the mosques in defiance of curfew regulations and flouted police orders to return home. A policeman and two Arabs were injured at Tulkarem and one policeman and many Arabs hurt at Acre.

At Nablus, the curfew was lifted after pressure had been brought by the mufti, Moslem religious leader.

Emphasizing that Arabs were benefiting from Jewish upbuilding work the Jewish National Council issued a proclamation refuting allegations by Arab leaders that Jews were undermining the existence of the Arabs.

“We are certain,” the statement said, “that by goodwill and mutual respect it is possible to find a mutual way which would not affect Jewish rights to immigration and upbuilding of Palestine and would not affect Arab interests and free Arab development, but on the contrary would bring blessings to Arabs.”

While the council was offering peace, the Arab Supreme Committee formed to direct the anti-Jewish strike issued a proclamation announcing that the strike will continue.

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