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Zionist Headquarters Receives Summary of Palestine Events

September 4, 1929
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A summary of the events in Palestine for the past eleven days since the beginning of the anti-Jewish outbreaks by Moslem Arabs was received at Zionist headquarters here from the Jerusalem Zionist Executive.

Business life in Jerusalem as well as in other cities is still paralyzed.

In Tel Aviv, sniping continued on Monday, August 26, with some casualties. Tuesday no casualties were reported but trade became entirely paralyzed. The Jewish colony Kastinia was looted and totally destroyed by fire after an heroic defense by the settlers. Three were killed in the onslaught. The attack was organized to such a degree that the Arab assailants were accompanied by an automobile carrying a group of Arab boy scouts who performed first aid and ambulance service for the Arabs. The Arab boy scouts also aided their elders by pouring petroleum on the wheat threshing floor to which they set fire.

On Monday night the Jewish colony Huldah was looted and destroyed by fire. All settlers were saved except Ephraim Zissik, a brother of Miss Sara Zissik, the heroine of the colony Tel Hai, who was killed in Arab attack several years ago in defending the colony.

Kafreata was evacuated, looted and destroyed.

In Beisan there were two Jews killed and one wounded. Several other smaller settlements like Javneel, Hittan and others were attacked and looted but there is no definite information as to the number of casualties.

Palestine Jewish leaders are frankly voicing their indignation at the complete lack of appreciation of the Jewish position on the part of the British authorities.

The special police of Tel Aviv was disbanded on Monday, while on Tuesday the District Commissioner declared that the military governor considers it unwise for Jewish merchants to resume business in Jaffa on Wednesday as he cannot guarantee their safety.

SEARCHES FOR ARMS MADE IN JEWISH HOMES, NONE AMONG ARABS

Since Monday the British authorities made searches for arms in Jewish homes in Tel Aviv. Arrests were made by an Arab police officer who was assisted by Arab boy scouts. The arrested Jews were led through Jaffa, which has an Arab population. Searches for arms were also made in Jewish homes at Haifa. There is no information of such searches being made in Arab houses, the Zionist Executive points out.

The District Commissioner and the superintendent of police at Jaffa found no time to visit Tel Aviv since the beginning of the outbreaks. Jewish members of the special police were dismissed and when a protest against this was made the commanding officer stated that the order emanated not from him but from the civil authorities in Jerusalem as a political measure. Britishers were maintained in the service while British Jews who served as officers in the World War were dismissed as untrustworthy. At the same time 50 Felaheen who were formerly members of the gendarmerie were reinstated. Many former Jewish members of the gendarmerie were not called in.

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