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Tension Mounts in Palestine As Irgun, Haganah Clash; Threats of “war” Exchanged

October 27, 1947
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Tension mounted within the Jewish community of Palestine tonight following a week-end of verbal and physical clashes between members of the Irgun and Raganah.

An Irgun communique charged David Ben Gurion of desiring fratricidal warfare and threatened that “he will have it.” Among a number of incidents reported today and yesterday were fights between rival groups of leaflet distributors and the abduction of a driver of a truck and the hijacking of the vehicle and its contents. Although the Irgun insisted that its members have only defended themselves, even to the extent of firing several shots, it was reported that in Rehovoth extremists beat up a 62-year-old man when they invaded his home in search for his son, an active member of the Histadruth.

The Haganah is understood to have instructed its members to fight the dissidents by “legal means only”–without the use of firearms.

Following strong representations from the Jewish Agency, the Palestine Government today sent high police officials to Syria to obtain the release of five Jews captured yesterday by the Syrian authorities, it was learned tonight. According to an official communique, the five Jews were captured north of the Palestine frontier and were alleged to be in possession of arms at the time of their capture.

Ahorn Satzman, 25, a Jewish supernumerary policemen, was found shot to death last night. Thirteen British soldiers died in an accident involving two military trucks near Haifa.

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