All law abiding citizens of Palestine are “disgusted by the criminal murder” last night of two British policemen, a Jewish Agency spokesman declared at a press conference today.
He revealed that the Agency was protesting the deportation of 50 Jewish prisoners to Kenya as a violation of the elementary rights of Palestine citizens, whether they are in jail, in detention camps or elsewhere. He reported that the Jewish National Council is taking up the matter with the government.
The spokesman also protested the withdrawal of special privileges from political prisoners following the Acre jail break. The privileges include the right of obtaining personal clothing, bedding and additional food from outside. The spokesman pointed out that such privileges were guaranteed by the sentencing courts which included “special treatment” as part of the sentence, and that the prison officials do not have the authority to withdraw such rights.
He also revealed that there are 312 Jews now being held at the Kenya camp, 247 in the Latrun detention camp and 34 women prisoners in the Bethlehem Women’s Prison. There are no political prisoners left in Jerusalem, he declared.
The Stern Group, in a statement to the Hebrew press, has assumed responsibility for the killing of two British policemen yesterday on a busy street in Jerusalem. The first man was killed outright, while the second died shortly afterwards of a head wound. The Sternists declared that the shootings were in retaliation for British “kidnappings of Jews.”
Brigadier J. G. Bedford-Roberts, military governor of Jerusalem, who was last night scheduled to broadcast an order lifting a ban on British soldiers visiting Jewish stores, cafes and other places of entertainment, and easing of security restrictions, changed his address at the last minute. He announced that such a move was contemplated but, that as a result of last night’s shootings, would be delayed for a time. He appealed for cooperation from both the soldiers and the Jewish population to break down “a barrier of misunderstanding” between them.
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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.
