Distribution of arms from police stores to settlers in the American Jewish colony of Raanana and in Kfar Saba, both north of Tel Aviv, was authorized today, ostensibly as a precautionary measure against possible attacks on those colonies by Arabs.
Shouting “kill the Jews,” a small Arab demonstration at the Jaffa Gate here was dispersed this morning. The demonstration started when a court opened hearings in the case of Hassan Sidky el Dajany and Salakh Abdou, Arab strike leaders, who were arrested yesterday on charges of inciting to rebellion.
Both leaders, who had signed a manifesto urging Arabs not to pay taxes until their anti-Jewish demands were granted by the Government, were released last night despite their refusal to put up bail or commit themselves in any other way. A third leader, Moghannem Elias Moughanem, was released last night shortly after his arrest.
Their release is giving rise to a feeling that the Government is retreating from yesterday’s stern attitude, expressed in the course of an audience given Arab leaders by High Commissioner Sir Arthur Grenfell Wauchope and followed by arrests of three of them.
The hearing on Dajany and Abdou was adjourned to tomorrow.
Meanwhile the Arab Supreme Committee, which is conducting the general strike against Jewish immigration and land sale to Jews, now in its third week, informed Sir Arthur that it would continue the strike and would not send a delegation to London to confer on their grievances with Colonial Secretary J. H. Thomas, in compliance with the latter’s invitation, until Jewish immigration was completely stopped. The committee also informed the High Commissioner that its members would continue to address meetings.
An official communique on yesterday’s conference between the High Commissioner and Arab leaders reported that Sir Arthur urged the Arab Supreme Committee to give up the strike and send a delegation to London. It said he warned them sternly to combat illegal acts such as murder, arson and civil disobedience.
Sir Arthur insisted that the committee make known “without delay” that it dissociates itself from illegal acts and warned its members against holding or addressing public meetings and demonstrations. He said the two arrested Arab leaders would be prosecuted for urging Arab Government employes to strike and advocating suspension of tax payments.
Davar, Hebrew labor daily, reported today that the Government is planning to prohibit publication by newspapers of all news regarding civil disobedience or a strike of Arab Government officials.
Jewish members of the Jerusalem Municipal Council yesterday submitted a written demand to District Commissioner James Campbell for the removal of Mayor Hussein Khalidi because of his membership in the strike committee. Previously they had demanded of Mayor Khalidi that he either resign from the committee or the mayoralty.
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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.
