Political report of the Executive of the Jewish Agency submitted to the ... Zionist Congress and the ... session of the Council of the Jewish Agency · 1937-08-01 · 8.1937 · p. Seite 60

60 ber of other Jewish witnesses. A summary of the main grievances and proposals submitted by the Jewish bodies was subsequently presented in writing to the Royal Commission and is reproduced in Appendix V. DEVELOPMENTS IN 1937. 81. Soon after the Royal Commission had left Palestine there was a marked deterioration in the general security situation and a revival of terrorist activities. These were directed not only against Jews, but in an increasing measure against loyal Arab officials and Arab civilians who refused to submit to the tyranny of blackmailers and of the terrorist bands. In the Northern District particularly the security situation became rapidly worse, and in February and March a series of outrageous robberies and murders of a most brutal character were committed against Jews. In the town of Safad anarchy reigned supreme, the whole town falling under the tyranny of a local Arab Committee which openly defied the Government by preventing all contact between Jews and Arabs, levying fines and issuing its own decrees. The troops stationed in Palestine remained inactive, the police appeared helpless to stem the surging tide of lawlessness, while the public was informed by the Government that the leaders of the Arab Higher Committee had expressed their abhorrence of the crimes committed long before they themselves had publicly done so. Early in March the Jewish Agency addressed to the Government a series of urgent requests with a view to bringing about the immediate restoration of order. These included the proclamation of martial law throughout the disturbed area of the Northern District, the granting of permission to all Jewish farmers in Galilee and the Emek to carry arms, the calling up of the reserves of supernumerary police and the grant of authority to them to guard the fields and pursue terrorists and robbers, the swift imposition of collective punishment on Arab villages implicated in criminal acts, etc. The Executive found it necessary to publish a statement on the security situation and on the failure of the Government to control the new outbreak of terrorism. (Appendix VIII). As previously indicated, the requests of the Jewish Agency for the mobilisation of the reserves of supernumerary police and the extension of their scope of action were granted. After the adoption of these measures and the appointment