HEBRONITE ARABS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23687, 20 December 1938, Page 11

HEBRONITE ARABS

LOYALTY TO BRITAIN CEREMONY IN JERUSALEM THE UNION JACK UNFURLED (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) JERUSALEM, Dec. 19. (Received Dec. 19, at 8 p.m.) Amid handclapping as the Union Jack was unfurled, 3000 Hebronite Arabs demonstrated their loyalty to Britain in the presence of British political and military dignitaries. A sheik, representing 60,000, thanked the military authorities for dispersing criminal gangs. OUTRAGE IN OLD CITY PREACHER FOUND SHOT JERUSALEM, Dec. 18. Sheik Alkatib, a preacher at the Mosque of Omar, was shot dead in the Old City. It is recalled that he was among those who invited British troops to inspect the precincts of the mosque during the recent occupation of the city. JEWISH CHILD REFUGEES ADMISSION TO PALESTINE LONDON, Dec. 18. A meeting of the London Jewish Board of Deputies decided to seek an interview with Mr MacDonald, with a view to persuading the Government to reverse its decision not to admit 10,000 Jewish children to Palestine. FORMER REBEL LEADER DECLARATION OF PEACE (Independent Cable Service) JERUSALEM, Dec. 19. (Received Dec. 20, at 1 a.m.) Sheik Yessef Abdul Hamid, a former rebel leader with £SOO on his head, made peace yesterday, making • the following declaration before General Connor, military commander in Jerusalem, and other officers in the presence of thousands of peasants and villagers on a mountain plateau:—"l have become a good man and am not going to fight any more against the British. I love them like my own brothers. You are messengers of peace, restoring calm to Palestine. We want no other ruler than King George." TROOPS AND TERRORISTS A SIX-HOUR BATTLE JERUSALEM, Dec. 19. (Received Dec. 20, at 1 a.m.) Royal Air Force planes discovered and machine-gunned armed terrorists lying in ambush in Hebron hills for the arrival of Majorgeneral R. N. Connor, military commandant in the Jerusalem district, to attend the loyalty demonstrations. Infantry rushed up and a battle lasting six hours ensued, a pilot soldier being wounded while the terrorists suffered casualties.