ARAB REVOLT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19136, 3 October 1936, Page 5

ARAB REVOLT

“NO SURRENDER”

REBELS’ SHREWD TACTICS

LONDON, Sept. 20.

All sections in Palestine are now anxiously awaiting two things: First, the Arab Higher Committee’s decision for or against continuing the revolt, and, second, the arrival of the new ‘British forces, the first contingents of which are expected in a few days.

All the military preparations are now in hand, but the press forecasts of the date on which there will be a proclamation of martial law, in the event of there being no marked change in the attitude of the Arabs, vary from “the next few days” to “the near future.” The special correspondent of the Daily Telegraph at Jerusalem understands that the Higher Arab Committee has asked the advice of King Ibn Sand, of Saudi Arabia, whether it should call off the strike. An emissary from the committee flew this week "to Egypt and communicated with the King through the Saudi diplomatic agent at Cairo. A reply is expected at any moment. A member of the committee stated that if Ibn Saud, who has expressed sympathy with the Arabs, cabled an appeal to end the strike they would comply. SMALL MOBILE BANDS On the other hand, the special correspondent of the Daily Herald at Jerusalem predicts that the Arabs’ reply will be, “No surrender,” and the rebels will not be deterred even by martial law. The Arabs have 4000-5000 men, with whom they are confident that, choosing their own form of warfare, they can resist 17,CC0 British troops. The Arabs believe in remaining mobile and carrying only light weapons. They regard machine-guns and heavier weapons as encumbrances.

Three thousand rebels are concentrated in the hills of northern Palestine, operating in groups of 50 to 60. They have fortified positions dominating the roads, and the caves they use for hiding are inaccessible to aerial attack. This force is composed of Palestine Arabs, but in other parts of the country, the terrorists are mostly foreigners from Iraq and Syria. The whole force is divided into two sections—the Fighters in the Holy War and the Martyrs of the Cause. The whole outbreak has gained the character of a holy war.

The Martyrs of the Cause have been given the task of harassing the Jewish settlements, cutting the telephone wires, and damaging the railways. The task of the fighters in the Holy War is to harass the British troops.

Early in September 300 Iraqis, armed with inachine-guns, crossed the frontier and camped in the Jordan Valley. One report says that the Arab forces include many deserters from the Iraq Army.