LAWLESS ARABS

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 204, 26 May 1936, Page 9

LAWLESS ARABS

Frequent Fighting In Palestine CLASHES WITH TROOPS Measures For Protection ol High Commissioner By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. (Received May 25, 7.40 p.m.) Jerusalem, May 24. Lawlessness is increasing in country districts, especially tlie Nablus area, which claims political leadership of Arab towns. Raiders hidden on hillsides are repeatedly attacking armoured carloads of troops and police, sometimes firing volleys. The troops invariably return the fire, but tho mob’s casualties are difficult to discover, as they carry off their dead and wounded. So-called “black hand” warnings have been distributed among British troops urging them not to walk the streets if they value their lives. Arabs barricaded streets at Nablus, throwing stones and firing from roofs when police attempted to clear the thoroughfares. Tlie Seaforth Highlanders arrived and fired, killing two and wounding four. Another died of fright. The mob again attacked but was dispersed. Firing from the hills continued all night.

A curfew has been introduced to prevent rioters leaving Nablus at night time for sabotage, but crop destruction and the cutting of telephone wires continues, also attacks on railways, despite the movements of armoured trains.

A mob attempted to raid Nurelsliew prison, but fled and reopened fire from a hillside. One Seaforth Highlander is reported to have been killed and another wounded. Five prominent agitators have been arrested and others expelled from cities and ordered to reside in distant villages. Special precautions have been taken to protect Government House owing to threats of an attack on Lt.-Gen. Sij Arthur Wauchope, High Commissioner.

Tulkerani malcontents ambushed a convoy of tanks at Motzaballey. The soldiers replied with machine-guns and switched on searchlights, but tlie attuckers disappeared in the darkness.

A later message adds that attempts to bomb Government buildings and rhe cutting of wires at the broadcasting station were among week-end disorders. As the Jewish steamer Richard Bouchard was approaching Jaffa, four Arabs from a rowing boat fired a gun and throw crude bombs nt the steamer, but were driven off and later arrested.