JERUSALEM ROCKED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26719, 13 March 1948, Page 7

JERUSALEM ROCKED

EXPLOSION IN JEWISH AGENCY HEADQUARTERS

ELEVEN PEOPLE KILLED N.Z.PJV. —Copyright JERUSALEM, Mar. 11.

A heavy explosion blew up the right wing of the heavily-guaraed Jewish Agency headquarters. Eleven were killed and 90 injured. The police reported that several motor trucks blew up in the courtyard of the U-shaped three-storey agency building, which is in King George avenue. The right wing of the buildmg housing the offices of the Vaad Leumi'(Jewish Council) and the Jewish . National Fund collapsed. Part of the building caught fire, and screaming workers fell from collapsing offices into the blazing wreckage. Some were buried.

The explosion shook buildings a mile away, and a great column of black smoke and then flames leapt to the sky. Police sirens stopped traffic. British Army ambulances and police armoured cars rushed to the scene. Jews on the spot said an American car, flying an American flag and bearing a “press” sign, carried into the courtyard explosives which caused the blast Rumours spread among the Jews that armed Jews had captured an Englishman near the car, and antiBritish feeling rose. A few minutes after the blast panicstricken Jews rushed through the streets, some towards and others away from the smoking, blazing building. Rescue workers fought their way into the debris, and within a few minutes were carrying out the first of the casualties. An hour after the blast flames still licked up through the gaping, roof of the right wing, and rescuers were still helping or carrying out the injured. As anti-British feeling mounted, police armoured cars trained their guns towards the Jews screaming and wailing round the debris. The Jews linked arms to form a cordon in front of the building.

The Hon. Edward Samuel, son of Viscount Samuel, and director of the Palestine Broadcasting Service, was among the injured. A senior Jewish police officer said the Jews did not seize any Britons after the explosion.

A Palestine Government statement said a car was checked through the agency gate. The occupants left two boxes in the hallway, and the explosion occurred a few minutes later.