BOMBING AT HAIFA

Southland Times, Issue 23848, 20 June 1939, Page 7

BOMBING AT HAIFA

15 ARABS KILLED AND 38 INJURED MARKET PLACE MADE A SHAMBLES JEW STABBED TO DEATH IN STREET (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received June 19, 11.40 p.m.) HAIFA, June 19. As a result of the simultimeous explosion of two bombs in the market place at Haifa 15 Arabs arc known to have been killed and 38 were injured. % Crowds rushing to the scene discovered the market place a shambles. Broken, torn bodies had been hurled considerable distances. .Sleepers near by were thrown from their beds.

A Jew in a street near by was stubbed to death a few minutes later.

Troops have placed a cordon round the area, closed shops throughout the city and brought to a standstill all traffic.

. A third bomb in a Jewish suburb later put out of action half the city’s telephones.

According to figures made available by the Colonial Office more than 140 British soldiers and police have been killed and more than 400 wounded in Palestine since the beginning of 1936. The figures for 1939 are incomplete, but other losses are:—

1936: Services, 21 killed, 104 wounded; police, seven killed, 40 wounded. 1937: Services, five killed; five wounded; police, four killed, two wounded.

1938: Services, 63 killed, 200 wounded; police, 12 killed, 15 wounded. The figures for 1936-38 will be. included in a long report which the Colonial Secretary (Mr Malcolm MacDonald) was expected to present personally to the Permanent' Mandates Commission at Geneva, when it discussed the British White Paper on Palestine. Mr MacDonald told the commission that Britain had no intention of delaying the implementation of her own policy for the restoring of peace and quiet in Palestine. The Government was forced to the decision that the growth of the Jewish National Home must be checked when it became so great that it prevented the carrying out of other obligations. However, there was no need to fear, it was stated at the Colonial Office, that the Arabs would be allowed to dominate the Jews. ' The London Palestine conference has not achieved all that was hoped, but the personal contacts of leaders of both parties proved most valuable in drafting the recent White Paper Steps are being taken to put into force the new British policy for Pales tine, where immediate action is possible.

An Order-in-Council conferring upon the High Commissioner authority to prohibit or regulate transfers of land between Arabs and Jews was published some days ago. It is expected that detailed regulations under these powers dating from / May 17, will be announced soon.