A move by the Palestine Government to encourage anti-Jewish operations by Arab extremists has been nipped in the bud by prompt Haganah action, it was learned here today from highly competent sources.
It was disclosed that recently the government has been lending encouragement to the Husseini faction, which is led by the ex-Mufti, and has closed its eyes to increased arms traffic by the Arab terrorists. The Criminal Investigation Division even opened negotiations with Fahdel el Haj Nurshid, a notorious gang leader who was active in the 1936-39 riots, and allegedly supplied him with money.
However, the Haganah’s raid last month on Arab bandits in the Petach Tikvah district, which resulted in the killing of several members of gangs which had been terrorizing Jewish settlers, has made many Arabs reluctant to launch a large-scale war against the Jews, even with government backing.
The extremists leaders have, nevertheless, not been discouraged. Subhi el Khadara, Haifa terrorist chief and a right-hand man of the Mufti, is reported to have stated that preparations are still under way for the Mufti to move to Lebanon, from which, Kahadara says, it would be much easier for him to direct operations against the Jews in Palestine. The move would also make it simpler to obtain money from the Arab states.
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