A virtual state of martial law was proclaimed today in Palestine in the form of new defense regulations enabling the establishment of summary military courts comprised of single officers appointed by the General Officer-in-Command with unlimited powers to impose any punishment they see fit.
The new decrees were announced today in an extra edition of the Official Gazette, which also carried the following new regulations:
1. Death sentences may be imposed for any terrorist outbreaks, and upon persons who are members “of any group, or any body of persons, any one or more of whom committed, while a member of the group or body, offenses against this regulation.”
2. Death or lesser penalties are to be imposed for the possession of fire arms, bombs, ammunition, incendiaries, explosives, or the manufacture of such.
3. Detention orders can be issued by officers, or by persons specially authorized by the military commander.
4. The Palestine High Commissioner is empowered to deport any person from the country for an indefinite period as long as the order remains in force. He can also order any person outside of Palestine to stay out.
As the new defense regulations were made public, fifteen armed Jews attacked a military camp near Gaza and escaped with 200 machine guns and a large quantity of ammunition. The raid was carried out at 1:30 in the afternoon by men dressed in uniforms of the Royal Air Force, who arrived in several jeeps. Led by three high ranking officers, the raiders entered the Aquir aerodrome, near Gaza, and demanded the keys to the arms store. They then gagged the four soldiers on guard and departed with the machine guns and the ammunition.
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