Israeli authorities expelled today 10 more West Bank Arabs accused of inciting and abetting civil unrest, among them several known Communists. The move was regarded here an application of Defense Minister Moshe Dayan’s alleged invitation to dissident Arabs to leave the country if they are dissatisfied and “go to a country where they like the regime better.” Gen. Dayan’s purported remarks on this subject have not been denied by the Defense Ministry.
Only last Friday, four West Bank Arab leaders–a doctor, lawyer, teacher and a deputy mayor–were expelled on a few hours’ notice. They had been accused of aiding terrorist groups and exhorting Arab municipal leaders and others not to cooperate with Israel. Today’s move indicated a determined effort to rid the West Bank of persons believed to have incited the recent rash of pro-Nasser, anti-Israel demonstrations by high school students and adults in more than a half dozen West Bank towns and villages. Among the expellees was Rushdi Shahin, a Nablus Communist who agitated against Israel; Yaacoub El Oubedia, of Ramallah, head of the West Bank teachers’ association; Achmed Salim Rabah, a leader of last week’s demonstrations in Jenin; Mouhamed Fadel Taher, a teacher from Yaabad who organized demonstrations in his village; Dr. Yihyeh Wahabba, head of the Red Crescent (Moslem Red Cross) in Ramallah, who helped organize demonstrations there; Peyik Said Maryi, of Jenin; Sami Sheikh, of Toubas, a teacher accused of inciting his pupils against Israel; Rashid Absl Hamid, a Tulkarem teacher; Mouhamed Khaled, a teacher from Jericho; and Ahmed Hadjawi, the school inspector of Nablus. The latter is presently in Jordan and will not be permitted to return to the West Bank.
Military police have arrested Mayor Nadim Zaro of Ramallah on suspicion of inciting anti-Israel demonstrations and violence in that West Bank town. Ramallah is under a daily 15-hour curfew. Meanwhile, 70 curfew violators were arrested in Nablus today but most were released with a warning. The violators were caught in the streets at 8:30 a.m., a half hour before the night curfew expired. Elders of Araba village in the Jenin district dispersed a group of high school students who were about to demonstrate against Israel today. The village is not under curfew.
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