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 85

APPENDIX III. LETTER OF THE EXECUTIVE TO THE HIGH COMMISSIONER OF MAY 14, 1936. Jerusalem, 14 May, 1936. Your Excellency, In conformity with your suggestion we have the honour to submit the following observations in writing: 1. After the outbreak of murderous attacks on Jews in Jaffa and the proclamation of a general strike by the Arab leaders, lawlessness spread all over the country. Innocent Jews are being attacked, stabbed, stoned, shot, their fields are being burnt, their trees uprooted, their supreme rights as members of the Jewish people challenged. Seditious agitation is being carried on against their national existence and historic rights recognised in the Mandate and by international law. An organised open attempt is being made to rouse the Arab masses to overthrow the Administration set up in the country and to alter by acts of violence and terror the fundamental law on which the Government of the country is based: the British Mandate which was confirmed by the League of Nations. A so-called Supreme Arab Committee has been established which openly and with the knowledge of Government directs the activities of incitement and rebellion. By means of force, intimidation and coercion this Committee compels cessation of business and communication amongst the Arab population and publicly calls upon them to break the law. These activities have not met with any restraint or hindrance on the part of Government. 2. The warning which Your Excellency gave this "Supreme Arab Committee" on the 5th of May to set their faces against all illegal acts, whether of murder or arson or of civil disobedience, and to give up the course of supporting the strike which has led to many acts of lawlessness, has been openly and publicly defied by that Committee without anything having been done to give effect to Your Excellency's words of warning. Government apparently recognised that this incitement might lead to serious disturbances as in your wireless broadcast of Monday the 11th May, Your Excellency made it known that additional military forces were being brought in. Nevertheless, open incitement to continue the strike, the call to civil disobedience, cri-