IN PALESTINE

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 230, 28 August 1929, Page 7

IN PALESTINE

GRUESOME MASSACRE OF JEWS. MANY SAVED BY BRITISH ’PLANES. QUIETER IN THE HOLY CITY. (United Prpss Association.—By Electric Telegraph. Copyright.) \ (Australian Press Association.) Received August 28, 10.20 a.m. LONDON, Aug. 27.. The latest news from Hebron tells of the gruesome massacre of 80 Jews and the wounding of 40, including theological students and children. British aeroplanes saved the Jews from the same fate at Betlialfa and at Esdrallon.

It is reported that Bedouins swept down on Affoute and burned many Jewish homes. Seven Jews were mutilated and burned to death. It has been confirmed that Mr H. Sykes, the superintendent of the Palestine Railway, was fatally wounded in the rioting at Motza on Sunday. It is also reported that a British journalist was killed. The Government has closed the eastern frontier in order to prevent the Trans-Jordanian Arabs advancing on Palestine.

The Egyptian Consul was stoned while motoring outside Jerusalem today.

CLASHES AT VARIOUS TOWNS. JEWISH HOMES BURNT. (Australian Press Association.) Received August 28, 11 a.m. JERUSALEM, Aug. 27. Though the situation here-is quieter, further clashes have occurred at Haifa, Jaffa, Damascus and Berisan. At the last-named place all the Jewish homes were burnt.

In order to prevent Trans-Jordanian Arabs from entering ; troops are guarding the Allenby Bridge over the Jordan.

A report that rebels disarmed British troops near Haifa is not confirmed.

OFFICIAL STATISTICS.

EFFECT OF BRITISH INTERVENTION.

(Australian Press Association.—United Service.)

JERUSALEM, Aug. 27. The first official statistics supplied by the Palestine Government show that 45 Jews and eight Moslems were killed at Hebron, where order has now been established.

Two Arabs were seriously wounded in the course of an unsuccessful attack on the police barracks at Nablus. Since the arrival of British police aiid a Transjordan frontier force at Safed the tension between the Arabs and Jews has diminished. An unconfirmed report indicates that an Arab force attacked a troop train at Haifa and disarmed some British soldiers. Disturbaances started at Telaviv, in the vicinity of which two hundred British troops are stationed. The Moslems were moving in procession through the streets to bury a co-religionist, when suddenly the procession broke up. The police opened fire, killing six Arabs. Martial law has been proclaimed at Telaviy, The Jerusalem City Council announced to-day that the Arabs were attacking Mahne Yehudah and Shaaray Hesed, and that between 120 and 150 Jews had been reported killed. Later this evening the council issued a further message to the effect that the Arabs were making fresh attacks on new localities every moment. “The Government,” said the announcement, “is vacillating and putting obstacles in the way of our self-defence.” A crowd of Moslems suddenly attacked the Government offices at Jaffa, whereupon the British police fired, repelling the attack. Five were killed and more than 30 injured. BUSINESS AT STANDSTILL. “JERUSALEM A CITY OF THE DEAD.” (Australian Press Association.) LONDON, Aug. 27. The Daily Express’s special correspondent at Jerusalem states: “The Holy Land is shocked to its foundations by the outrages. “Business is at a standstill, shops are closed, and the telephones are not working. The Press are censored. It is officially admitted that from 80 to 100 have been killed; hospitals are filled with wounded. The bloodiest tragedy occurred at Hebron, where 73 Jews were slaughtered in their homes. Twelve of them were American students qualifying for the rabbinate. They were eating their Sabbath meal when a mob of armed tribesmen descended on the village. Men, women and children were cut to pieces; eighteen in a single home, including Mr Slonim, the manager of the Anglo-Palestine Bank, his wife, two children and his parents-in-law. “The policing of Jerusalem is now in the hands of a volunteer force of 600 British citizens, who are patrolling the streets day and night. All persons are required to be in their homes after the curfew has tolled at six o’clock in the mornisg. With the appearance of British khaki and the British bayonets, however, the situation became easier. ' HUNDREDS IN HIDING. “Sporadic outbreaks continue over a wide area. The Jews in Jerusalem are afraid to appear in the open. Hundreds are hiding for fear of their lives. Hotels and public institutions are packed with refugees. Harrowing stories are told of the murder of relatives in the foulest circumstances. Whole villages have been pillaged and the contents of dwellings dumped in the streets and burned. “A poignant story is told by a thir-teen-year-old Jewish girl who was seized by a band of frenzied Arabs, but was recovered after a desperate struggle by her father. No sooner was she released that she was compelled to see her father stabbed to death. “A grim aftermath of the rioting was the carrying of the Jewish and Arab dead to secret places of burial. “Jerusalem to-night is indeed a city of the dead.” DEMONSTRATION IN NEW YORK. JEWS MARCH TO CITY HALL. (Australian Press Association.—United Service.) ' NEW YORK, Aug. 27. Leaders of the Jewish Colony staged an orderly demonstration in front of the British Consulate on Monday, protesting against the anti-Jewish riots in Palestine. It is estimated that 17,000 participated. Sir Harold Armstrong, the British Consul-General, stated that lie did not agree with the thesis of their formal protest, but he ■would communicate to his Government their demand for the restoration of order in Palestine. The Jews also marched to the City Hall. The Mayor of New York, Mr Walker, assured the Jews that he be-

lieved “persecution never accomplished anything,” and he would do all he could to aid them. The Jews carried a placard accusing Britain of failing to maintain its protectorate sufficiently. The Zionist Organisation met tonight to plan further protests.

ARABS AT HEBRON. (United Service.) LONDON, Aug. 27. A correspondent states that the reason why the massacre at Hebron was not completed was that the Arabs desired to make sure they killed those they attacked. They were not content with cutting off ears and noses and mutilating bodies, but pillaged every house they visited. Consequently, many Jewish houses escaped entirely. At least 25 Americans were among those attacked. Survivors declare that/ fifteen boys were killed and some horribly mutilated. UNREST AT WARSAW. (Times Cables.) WARSAW, Aug. 26. _ The police dispersed attempted antiBritish demonstrations on the part c-f Jews, but the unrest continues. The police are guarding the British Legation against possible further demonstrations.

ZIONISM. HOPE FOR RETURN TO PALESTINE. Ever since the destruction of the Temple, Jews have hoped and prayed for their return to Palestine. The character of the Jews as evidenced by their liturgy, their literature, their philosophy, is largely shaped by the influence of this ideal. Palestine has become for the Jews more than a' mero country, it is a symbol of regeneration, of a return to the days of youthful vigour, to health bodily and spiritual. The rebuilding of Palestine as the Jewish national home has been started some forty years ago. Work proceeded slowly as long as Palestine remained under Turkish rule. Simultaneously with such practical activities in the Holy Land the Zionist organisation as a political movement was brought into being by the late Dr Herzl. This organisation had and still has a twofold aim. It endeavours to give practical expression to the Jewish yearning for Palestine by co-ordinating all efforts in one world-wide movement. Its second aim consisted in obtaining the support of all nations for the establishment of the Jewish home in Palestine. Both aims have been achieved during the years which elapsed after the Great War. The British Government granted its support to the movement, and announced its policy with regard to Palestine in a document published in 1917, popularly known as the Balfour Declaration. Other nations followed suit, and ultimately the League of Nations incorporated the text of the Balfour Declaration in the Mandate for. Palestine.

The Zionist Organisation is composed of some seventy federations, each located in a different country. The total number of organised Zionists exceeds 1,000,000. The government of the organisation is vested in the Zionist Congress, which meets once every two years, and is composed of delegates elected by members in accordance with the principles of proportional representation. The World Zionist Executive is elected by this congress. Dr Cli. Weizman is the president of the Organisation. Zionist activities in Palestine cover all branches of work which lead toward increasing the Jewish population of the country. Land settlement is the principal of these activities, but public health services, educational institutions, the development of industry, etc., also form part of the work of the oragnisation. In view of the impossibility to carry out these tasks by obtaining the necessary funds by way of taxation the whole capital required for these enterprises is raised through voluntary contributions from Jews of various countries. Along with work in Palestine the Zionist Organisation develops its propaganda and educational influence throughout the world with the aim of revitalising Jewry, and counteracting the effects produced by centuries of dispersion. The Jewish population of Palestine has increased from 50,000 in 1920 to 170,000 at the present moment. The claescial Hebrew language has been revived in Palestine. Economic , conditions in the country are improving with extraordinary rapidity. At the present moment the Zionist Organisation is concluding negotiations with all other sections of Jewry so as to secure their co-operation in Palestine work. This takes the shape of participation in the Jewish Agency, which is the organ recognised by International Law as responsible, together with Great Britain, for the establishment of the Jewish National Home. The purport of this ideal has been recently described by Professor Albert Einstein, a supporter of the movement, in the following words:—“The rebuilding of Palestine differs fundamentally from all other Jewish activities of our time. This is a movement to aid, not individuals, but an entire nation. Jews are asked not for the support of the weak, not on the plea of charity, but to help strong, healthy pioneers eager to work for the renaissance of the Jewish people. . . . Progress permits us to hope that Jewish national life in Palestine will make sufficient strides to become the basis of a new intellectual and cultural creativity, so that it may again assume its due role in the civilisation of the world.” The Jewish race spread over all continents looks to Great Britain as to its frie dn and protector, and hopes to prove by its efforts in Palestine, the most recent accession to the Great Empire', its appreciation of British policy and British justice. '