Widespread violence broke out a new in Palestine. Arabs ambushed a Jewish bus and four private cars traveling from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, wounding two Jews, one of them seriously, and three British soldiers. The soldiers were seriously injured when they rushed to the scene of the ambush thirteen miles outside of Jerusalem. The pitched battle that ensued between the troops and the Arabs was still being waged at 7:45 P.M. Palestine time. In the private cars were prominent Jewish leaders.
Fears that the Moslem Sabbath today would see new bloodshed were expressed when it was learned that some Arabs had warned Jewish friends to stay off the streets.
That the Palestine Government was also expecting violent outbreaks was seen from a War Office announcement in London that a battalion of British troops has been rushed to Palestine from Cairo.
On orders from the chief rabbinate, prayers were said in all Palestine synagogues today that the disorders might be terminated. A fast was observed by orthodox Jews throughout the country on suggestion of the Agudath Israel.
In London Sir Herbert Samuel, addressing a conference of the League of Nations Union, declared that despite the disturbances in Palestine, withdrawal of the Balfour Declaration was impossible. Also in London, Vladimir Jabotinsky at a press conference bitterly arraigned the Palestine Government for failure to take proper measures to quell the disorders.
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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.