Martial Law Pondered by Leaders at Jaffa Parley As Violence Continues

MAJOR-GENERAL ARCHIBALD P. WAVELL, COMMANDER OF BRITISH FORCES IN PALESTINE, CALLED DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS TO JAFFA TODAY AND DISCUSSED THE ADVISABILITY OF DECLARING MARTIAL LAW TO STAMP OUT SPREADING ARAB TERRORISM.

AS THE CONFERENCE WAS IN SESSION, REPORTS REACHED JERUSALEM OF A SPECTACULAR ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN AN ARAB BAND OF 50 AND POLICE ATTACHED TO A POST AT DAHIRIYA, TWELVE MILES FROM BEERSHEBA.

THE BAND, WHICH HAS RECENTLY BEEN CONDUCTING DEPREDATIONS IN THE BEERSHEBA AREA, ATTACKED BEFORE DAWN. AFTER A TWO-HOUR BATTLE, THE ARABS INVADED THE POST’S COURTYARD. THE POLICE DEFENDERS CONCEALED PART OF THEIR ARMS AND AMMUNITION, RETREATED TO THE HOUSE AND WIRELESSED AN S.O.S. REINFORCEMENTS SPED TO THEIR AID, BUT THE BAND, WARNED BY LOOK OUTS, ESCAPED WITH PART OF THE CONCEALED POLICE ARMS TO THE DESERT.

A MILITARY PLANE LOCATED THE BAND AT DAWN MIDWAY BETWEEN TEL-EL-LEIN AND BIR-EL-SOB. TROOPS ARE PURSUING.

WIVES AND CHILDREN OF BRITISH AND ARAB OFFICIALS IN HEBRON EVACUATED FROM THE TOWN BY THE GOVERNMENT WERE LODGED TODAY IN THE JERUSALEM Y.M.C.A. THE GOVERNMENT WARNED THE INHABITANTS OF HEBRON, ACCORDING TO ARAB NEWSPAPERS, THAT A COLLECTIVE FINE WOULD BE IMPOSED IF TERRORISM THERE DID NOT HALT.

FOLLOWING THE BOMBING OF THE JAFFA POLICE STATION, TWO BOMBS EXPLODED NEAR THE POST OFFICE AND ANOTHER NEAR THE JAFFA-TEL AVIV CROSSROADS, NONE CAUSING DAMAGE. MEMBERS OF THE NASHASHIBI FAMILY, MODERATE ARAB LEADERS, DISCOVERED TWO UNEXPLODED BOMBS NEAR THEIR JAFFA HOME, WHICH WERE REMOVED BY POLICE.

A BRIDGE ON THE JERUSALEM-JERICHO ROAD WAS DYNAMITED AND DAMAGED. RUNNING FIRE WAS EXCHANGED FOR A HALF-HOUR BETWEEN ARABS AND BRITISH FORCES ON THE JERUSALEM-BETHLEHEM ROAD. FIRST REPORTS GAVE NO DETAILS OF THE ENGAGEment.

A BRITISH DETACHMENT DISCOVERED IN A DESERTED ARAB INN IN THE HILLS NEAR NABLUS SUPPLIES FOR ARAB BANDS AND A PORTABLE RADIO APPARATUS. TWO MOUNTED ARABS APPEARED FOR FOOD, BUT SEEING THE BRITISH ARMORED CARS ATTEMPTED TO FLEE. THEY WERE CAPTURED.

A GIRLS’ FARM NEAR AFULEH WAS HEAVILY FIRED UPON, BUT JEWISH GHAFFIRS (WATCHMEN) BEAT OFF THE ATTACK WITH NO CASUALTIES. A STRONG ATTACK ON RAMAT RACHEL LASTING AN HOUR WAS ALSO REPULSED BY JEWISH GHAFFIRS.

WITH THE ATTACKS INDICATING THAT TERRORISM WAS SPREADING, THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE HISTADRUTH, JEWISH LABOR FEDERATION, WARNED JEWS NOT TO GO TO PREDOMINANTLY-ARAB JAFFA FOR ANY REASON UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

AN ARMENIAN ITERANT PHOTOGRAPHER, EVIDENTLY MISTAKEN FOR A JEW, WAS SHOT AT IN FRONT OF THE GOVERNMENT OFFICES IN JERUSALEM. A GROUP OF ARAB WORKERS WAS FIRED UPON AND ONE OF THEM SLIGHTLY INJURED.