Palestine police disclosed today that they arrested 20 persons in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa last Thursday in connection with the recent outbreaks of violence here.
These arrests bring to 50 the total number of Jews rounded up in the last week on suspicion of being members of the Irgun Zvai Leumi, the Jewish extremist group which has publicly assumed responsibility for the terror, or of another terrorist group known as the “Stern Gang.” (Abrahan Stern was killed in a gun-battle with police in February, 1942, following several bombings and assassinations which occurred at that time.)
The 20 men arrested Thursday are all prominent Revisionists. Among them was Shalom Rosenfeld, news editor of the Revisionist daily newspaper Hsmashkiff. The police are continuing to round up Revisionists in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa. A police report stated that a couple taken into custody in Tel Aviv had in their possession a suitcase containing a complete wireless transmitter.
New Irgun posters have appeared in Jerusalem and elsewhere admitting responsibility for the bombing of the tax offices two weeks ago and reiterating that the organization will continue to fight for its political objectives. The posters also assail Palestine Jewish leaders and newspapers for denouncing the terroristic tactics.
TERRORISTS NUMBER 5,000, POLICE ESTIMATE
The Irgun is reported by observers here to number about 1,000 members, of whom only a small minority are active. The Stern Gang, which is believed responsible for the shootings, for which the Irgun has denied responsibility, is understood to consist of about 50. One official source, however, estimated that there were 4,000 members in the Irgun and about 1,000 in the Stern group.
Meanwhile, the police have placed guards in all public buildings in an attempt to thwart further bombings. Persons seeking to enter the gates surrounding the law courts in Jerusalem are now searched by the guards.
The activities of the terrorist groups, although they have had a psychological effect on the population far out of proportion to their extent and gravity, have not greatly effected relations between Arabs and Jews. There is probably more routine association between the two peoples than ever before. Relations between the Jewish population and Britain, however, have deteriorated badly, almost to the point of open hostility. British officials have been charging openly that Jewish leaders are not cooperating in smashing the terrorist organizations. On the other hand, the Jews accuse the British of laxity in meeting the terrorist threat. Some circles even charge that the British administration welcomes the outrages as a means of discrediting the Zionist cause in the eyes of the world.
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