Charges that Jewish curfew violators in this city are being bullied, beaten and tortured were today made by the Jerusalem Jewish Community Council. The Council called upon the government to stop such practices which it said involved all sections of the Jewish population including the aged and even children of five and six.
The Palestine Post yesterday quoted the sworn statement of a Jew formerly detained at the Talbieh barracks, who charged that Jewish curfew violators were separated from the Arabs and denied food and water for long periods. The affidavit declared that a group of 200 Jews were segregated from the Arabs and taken to another room where they were beaten by soldiers with fists, clubs and rifle butts, while other troops stood guard with tommyguns, because they had requested food.
Later, they were herded into a cellar which was used as a collective cell and were permitted to lie on the floor but were required to spring to attention whenever a guard entered the cellar. At other times, the newspaper declared, Jews were beaten by a group of soldiers some of whom threatened them with guns while they shouted anti-Jewish insults. Many of these incidents occurred in the presence of responsible officers and non-commissioned officers, the Post reported.
Earlier, the newspaper Mishmar published the statement of 20 elderly Jews who were arrested and beaten severely. It also told of the arrest of all the residents in one house because a soldier alleged that he had seen one man on the roof. It was reported that many Jews have been arrested for leaving their homes to go to out-houses in the rear of the buildings.
As part of their continuing requisition of Jewish buildings in Jerusalem for “security reasons,” the authorities today ordered all occupants of a large building facing the Russian Compound to evacuate it immediately. The order will liquidate many Jewish shops and severely handicap many Jewish lawyers who have offices there. Last week, 50 Jewish shops opposite police headquarters were taken over.
The Anglo-Palestine Bank has been informed that its building here will be requisitioned. The structure contains the most modern bank furnishings and has special safes and concrete chambers for the safe-keeping of valuables.
It is learned that even private homes in the neighborhood of senior British officials or military commanders have been ordered evacuated.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
