Arab leaders in Palestine were warned today by the underground Jewish radio, the “Voice of Israel,” that “any attempt to plunge the country into blood and terror, will be met by Jewish force.”
Commenting on the report of the inquiry committee, the broadcast said: “The report does not abrogate the White Paper in practice. Jewish resistance began by fighting the existing regime. If there will be a radical change in practice, then the Jewish resistance will adjust itself to the new conditions; but if the present practice remains unchanged, Jewish resistance will not cease.”
Addressing itself to the Arab population, the broadcast stated: “The Arab press and Arab leaders threaten bloody attacks against Jews and are even proclaiming ‘a war for life and death against the Jews.’ We reject this proclamation of war. We always wanted peace with the Arabs. But if the instigators succeed in their attempts to rouse the Arabs, they will learn that the upper hand will be ours. Beware! We have warned you!”
PLOT TO BLOW UP A BRITISH DESTROYER IN HAIFA HARBOR FOILED
A plot to blow up a British destroyer anchored in Haifa harbor was foiled today with the discovery of a bag of explosives in the ship’s massroom. No damage was done.
Increased military and police units continued to maintain order throughout the country. Armored cars and tanks were stationed on all roads and helmeted soldiers were on duty in every major settlement, despite the fact that there were no signs of tension except the Arab call for a general strike.
The Government radio broadcast the recommendations of the inquiry committee in English, Hebrew and Arabic. Large crowds of Jews stood in line before newspaper offices and news stands in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa buying the special editions which carried the text of the recommendations.
The Hebrew press was reserved in its comments. The Palestine Post warned against hasty conclusions. The daily newspaper Haboker said that what has been granted “isn’t justice but charity.” The liberal newspaper Hearetz wrote that “the fact that the Arabs are dissatisfied does not mean that the Jews are satisfied.”
The largest Hebrew newspaper, Davar, organ of the Laborites, stated: “The first impression of the recommendations is that a conflict between two viewpoints existed in the commission: Firstly, a sincere desire to abrogate the White Paper, and, secondly, a definite tendency to maintain the White Paper. A compromise was aimed at, but a compromise does not solve the Jewish problem, or the future of Palestine. The whole document has not a single positive statement which is not followed by a negative one.”
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.
