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 128

128 and acts of terrorism. On a number of occasions the Jewish Agency drew the attention of Government to the failure of the police adequately to deal with such activities, giving instances when police looked on without interfering, whilst Arab youths destroyed Arabgrown vegetables and fruit destined for Jewish and Arab consumption. Para. 43. 21. Strong exception is taken to the fact that in summarising Press Offences during the disturbances, the Arab and Jewish press are placed in the same category. Apart from a few isolated cases where Hebrew newspapers were suspended because they had published in good faith incorrect statements of events which they believed had Occured, the reasons for which the Hebrew papers were suspended could hardly be other than their severe criticism of the authorities for their failure to take adequate steps to protect life and property, maintain law and order and punish murderers and other evildoers. In no case did the Hebrew press counsel the Jews to resort to violencè, as the sweeping generalisations of this paragraph would seem to imply. The Arab press, on the other hand, consistently maintained its subversive agitation against the authority of the Government and its campaign of glorification of terrorists and terrorism which could only act as an incitement to further murderous assaults on Jews. Para. 45. 22. It is submitted that the statement with regard to the reception given to the proposals for the establishment of a Legislative Council by the Arabs, to the effect that "the Arab attitude though critical was disposed to give them full consideration" can hardly be said to be accurate. Actually almost all of the Arab newspapers denounced the scheme, some of them rejecting it outright. Para. 54. 23. It is recorded in the Report that a violent manifesto was issued on May 2nd by the car owners' and drivers' committee, inciting Arabs to the non-payment of taxes, and that the President and the Vice-President of the Committee were subsequently fined LP. 25 each. The Report then continues : "On the 8th May, 1936, a Congress of the National Committees, including the President and members of the Arab Higher Committee, met in Jerusalem and decided on the non-payment of taxes and a continuation of the strike. "Shortly after, in reply to a memorandum addressed to them by the High Commissioner, the Arab Higher Committee intimated that they were not responsible for the movement in favour of civil disobedience, but that this movement was in fact a spontaneous demand made by Arabs generally and that the Committee could