Responsibility Rests on Moslem Leaders and Palestine Government, Jewish View

The responsibility for the anti-Jewish atrocities committed by the Moslem Arabs for the past five days in Palestine with a horifying loss of life, rests entirely on the Palestine Moslem leaders.

Contrary to the views inspired by the leaders of the Moslem rebellion and transmitted by certain newspaper correspondents who proved too willing to become the vehicle for the Moslem inspired propaganda, authoritative Jewish Palestine sources protest against any assertion that there was any action or attitude on the part of Palestine Jews which tended to provoke the conflict. The controversy over the Wailing Wall between the Jews and the Moslems is of long standing and nothing has been done or said by the Jews of Palestine prior to Friday August 16 which has not been said or done before in support of the Jewish position.

Isaac Ben-Zvi, leader of the Jewish self-defense corps in Palestine during the present emergency days, branded as a “malicious invention and thorough lie” the rumor spread that the attack was started by the Jewish youth in Jerusalem who allegedly threw a bomb on the Arab crowd. The Colonial Office will be in a position to confirm the fact that the riots were started Friday, August 16, by Moslem worshippers, following their leaving the Mosque of Omar, with shouts and cries. It was then that they started to beat and assault all Jewish passersby whom they encountered during their march.

BLAMES PALESTINE GOVERNMENT, ORDER “NOT TO SHOOT” WHEN 24 WERE DEAD

“We are certain that if the Palestine government would have sent to patrol the Arab demonstration on Friday at least the same number of police which it sent to patrol the Jewish demonstration on Thursday, order would have been maintained in the Holy City. It is the government of Palestine alone which is responsible for the horrible events. The Palestine government repeated its orders ‘not to shoot’ even when there were already more than 24 Jews dead in Jerusalem alone. Even later the Palestine government did not assist the Jewish self-defense. The number of Americans killed in Hebron reached 15. There are many Americans who were wounded in the attacks throughout the country,” Mr. Ben-Zvi stated.

JEWISH LEADERS DEMAND COMMISSION OF INQUIRY

All Jewish leaders in Palestine, without regard to party of group affiliation, are unanimous in their demand that the London government send a commission of inquiry with full powers.