A STATEMENT STRONGLY CONDEMNING ACTS OF RETALIATION AGAINST ARABS WAS ISSUED TODAY BY THE JEWISH AGENCY FOR PALESTINE, LEAGUE-RECOGNIZED SPOKESMAN FOR WORLD JEWRY IN PALESTINE MATTERS. DECLARATIONS AGAINST VIOLENCE WERE ALSO MADE BY THE JERUSALEM MUNICIPAL COUNCIL AND AT A CONFERENCE CALLED BY THE JEWISH NATIONAL COUNCIL.
DESCRIBING AS A “DANGEROUS ILLUSION” THE ASSUMPTION THAT SUCH ACTS ARE LIKELY TO TERMINATE ARAB TERRORISM, THE JEWISH AGENCY STATEMENT DECLARES THEY SIMPLY STRENGTHEN AND PROMOTE THE POLITICAL ENDS OF THE TERRORISTS.
THE STATEMENT EMPHASIZES THAT THE SELF-RESTRAINT EXERCISED BY JEWS DURING LAST YEAR’S DISORDERS EARNED FOR THEM THE RESPECT OF PUBLIC OPINION ABROAD AND RESULTED IN LEGALLY ARMED JEWISH DEFENSE FORCES. IT REFERS TO PAST REPRESENTATIONS AGAINST LAWLESSNESS AND THE RECENT “GRATIFYING CHANGE” IN THE GOVERNMENT’S HANDLING OF THE SITUATION, AND DECLARES THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO URGE THE GOVERNMENT TO PERSEVERE IN THIS DIRECTION.
EFFORTS TO ENABLE JEWS TO PARTICIPATE ADEQUATELY IN LEGAL MEASURES AGAINST THE TERRORISTS WILL BE CONTINUED, THE STATEMENT DECLARES, AND IT ADDS THAT AT THE SAME TIME THE AGENCY WILL OPPOSE TO THE UTMOST RETALIATION AGAINST INNOCENT PERSONS, WHICH “INTENSIFIES ARAB TERRORISM, MARS THE MORAL RECORD OF PALESTINE JEWRY AND HAMPERS AND UNDERMINES ITS POLITICAL STRUGGLE AND SECURITY.”
THE AGENCY CONCLUDES WITH AN EXPRESSION OF CONFIDENCE THAT “ALL RESPONSIBLE SECTIONS OF THE JEWISH POPULATION WILL SET THEIR FACES AGAINST THESE DISGRACEFUL DEEDS AND WITH ALL THE MEANS AT THEIR DISPOSAL STAMP OUT THIS EVIL FROM OUR MIDST.”
THE JERUSALEM MUNICIPAL COUNCIL, WITH ACTING MAYOR DANIEL AUSTER PRESIDING, APPEALED TO THE POPULATION TO CEASE ACTS RESULTING IN BLOODSHED OF INNOCENT PERSONS AND ECONOMIC LOSSES.
AT A CONFERENCE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PALESTINE JEWISH COMMUNITY, ISAAC BEN-ZVI, PRESIDENT OF THE JEWISH NATIONAL COUNCIL, APPEALED AGAINST REPRISALS. MOSHE SHERTOK, HEAD OF THE JEWISH AGENCY’S POLITICAL DEPARTMENT, REPORTED AT LENGTH ON THE SITUATION.
MEANWHILE, THE NEWSPAPER HAARETZ REPORTED FROM AMMAN THAT MANY NOTABLES SUSPECTED OF FOMENTING REVOLT WERE ARRESTED FOR EXILE.
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