News Brief

Although Friday, the Moslem Sabbath, passed quietly in the Holy City. Friday night saw a renewal of Arab attacks on the suburb, Tolpioth, where many Americans have their homes. British troops opened fire on the Arab attackers.

The number of Jewish dead in the Arab massacre at Safed, Galilee, Thursday night is mounting hourly as the wounded die. Zevi Heller, an American, a nephew of Solomon Lamport, cotton merchant of 500 Brodway, New York, died this morning of the wounds he received during the Safed massacre.

Jewish leaders here this morning presented an urgent request to Palestine authorities to disarm the Arab members of the Palestine Police force who, it is stated, used their arms against the Jewish refugees they are charged with protecting. The request was made upon receipt of a report from Safed that six of the refugees, including a 12-year-old boy, were wounded in the Safed police courtyard when the Arab police opened fire on them. The boy died of his wounds. The fire was opened on the pretext that noise was heard at 4 A. M. Saturday in the neighborhood of the courtyard. The fire opened by the police against the assailants Thursday night resulted in no casualties.

Reports received here this morning from Galilee state that the colonies in Upper and Lower Galilee continue to be in danger. The troops even when repelling the attacks are clearly unconcerned with the preservation of the Jewish positions. It is charged. The colonies Mishmar Ha’ yarden and Yessod Ha’ maalah are surrounded by Moslem bands.

The situation of the 3,000 Jewish refugees in the police courtyard at Safed is utterly appalling. Roofless, bread and without water and exposed to bullying at the hands of the Arab police they are facing starvation and opedemics.

The impression produced on the Jewish population of Jerusalem by the Safed massacre has been tremendous, undermining its confidence in the protection of the British authorities, even though a large number of troops and marines are in the country. The massacre occurred on Thursday night although Jewish leaders warned the authorities the preceding day that the Safed Jews were facing great danger. They were assured that “the situation, is well in hand,” but until the first British soldiers arrived after S P. M the population of the ancient and sacred city, the seat of Jewish learning for many centuries, was entirely at the mercy of the Arab marauders.

Some of the refugees who were saved in the police courtyard at Safed begged the authorities to be given arms to constitute a self-defense for those remaining in the Jewish quarter.

With great difficulties and after hours of negotiations a small escort was secured for bringing surgeons from Haifa and Tiberias, two hours distant from Safed, to operate on the wounded in an effort to save their lives.