Jerusalem, Tel Aviv Put Under Curfew As Land Act Rioting Spreads

The Government today imposed curfew on the all-Jewish city of Tel Aviv and Jewish quarters of Jerusalem as demonstrations against the ordinance restricting land sales spread on the eve of tomorrow’s debate in the House of Commons in London on a Labor motion censuring the Government for issuing the regulations.

Curfew from 3:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. was declared in Jerusalem’s Jewish quarters after Jewish demonstrations had been renewed shortly after midday, accompanied by stone-throwing in which a British constable was slightly injured. Windows were broken on the Jaffa Road and at the Eden Cinema. The demonstrators were dispersed by the police.

In Tel Aviv, curfew was imposed–the second time within four days–from 5 p.m. until further notice. (The censored cable did not give the cause of the curfew in the all-Jewish city of 180,000 population, but it was assumed that demonstrations had broken out there, too.)

Meanwhile, High Commissioner Sir Harold A. MacMichael, according to an official communique, received a delegation of Jewish women representing the Council of Jewish Women, which presented a memorandum in protest against the land ordinance. Sir Harold promised to transmit it to London. The delegation included Miss Henrietta Szold, Baltimore-born head of the Youth Aliyah organization; Mrs. Isaac Herzog, wife of Palestine’s Chief Rabbi; Mrs. Kurt Blumenfeld and Mrs. Idelson.

Arabs welcomed the land ordinance. Ragheb Bey Nashashibi, head of the Arab Defense Party, said the regulations had been well received by the Arabs, but the legislation had been too much delayed. Piecemeal implementation of the Palestine White Paper tended to detract from its full effect, he said. He added that he considered the White Paper policy as aimed at promoting cooperation of Arabs and Jews in a common country.