Vigorous action against terrorists even at the cost of provoking bloodshed, is being considered by Jewish leader here, it was learned today. Prompt measures are felt to be necessary in view of the recent outbreaks and the grave situation which has developed as a result of the continuing martial law.
The Haganah is reported tonight to have sent ultimatums to both the Irgun and the Sternists, demanding that they end terrorist activities and cooperate in a drive for mass illegal immigration. The ultimatum allegedly calls on both groups to use their forces to “constructively defy the Palestine Government’s illegal immigration laws.”
However, Sternist posters placed on the walls of Tel Aviv buildings today, called on the Jewish population for “civil disobedience” and non-payment of income tax to a government “which has, robbed us of all civil rights of citizens.” The posters urged the Jews “to pay taxes only to Jewish State authority.” Members of the Haganah, armed with sticks, attacked the Sternists whom they caught in the act of plastering up the posters. A fight ensued, but none was seriously injured.
An official communique released this evening said that 78 suspects have been arrested in the last two weeks, including 15 members of the Stern Group, 12 of the Irgun Zvai Leumi and 51 others “connected with terrorism.” The communique stated that “despite the refusal of official bodies to assist the security forces in outrooting gangsters, help has been received from members of the Jewish community.”
BANK ROBBED, TRAIN REPORTED BLASTED IN NEW TERRORIST OUTBREAKS
Two mortars, two pistols, two stretchers and a number of British uniforms were discovered by a searching party in a house in the martial law area of Jerusalem. Twenty occupants of the building were detained.
In Tel Aviv, a small credit bank was robbed of $56,000 by a seven armed men, who held up the bank’s staff and warned them not to leave the premises, because the exits had been mined. Police have found no trace of the robbers.
Unconfirmed reports say a train was blown up late tonight on the main Haifa line between Petach Tikvah and Raanana. Heavy firing has been heard in the area, but the extent of the damage and the number of casualties are not known.
The clandestine radio of the Irgun today broadcast an appeal to the delegations of France, the USSR, and the United States at Moscow to raise the Palestine question at the Foreign Ministers Conference “since the British occupation army in Palestine is endangering world peace.”
The broadcast suggested that the Moscow parley compel Britain to withdraw her army from Palestine and Transjordan and recommend the transfer of power “into the hands of a democratic representation of the Jewish people–a Jewish government which will accomplish the repatriation of the Jewish remnants from Europe to Palestine.”
ZIONISTS EXPECT BEVIN-MARSHALL TALKS ON PALESTINE IN MOSCOW
Zionist leaders here are anxiously eyeing the “Big Five” conference in Moscow as a result of reports from Washington that Secretary of State Marshall and Foreign Minister Bevin will discuss the Palestine issue in the interludes between sessions of the Foreign Ministers parley.
The agenda of the plenary session of the Jewish Agency executive, which is scheduled to open tomorrow, was released today, indicating that this may be one of the most important sessions in the history of modern Palestine. The main problems on the agenda are: martial law, preparation for presenting the Zionist case before the United Nations, redistribution of Zionist representatives in various countries which are members of the United Nations, and the economic difficulties arising from martial law.
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.
