Timewarp: Agitation and tension still prevail in Jaffa

Town under curfew, police sever communications with Tel Aviv.

By JERUSALEM POST
Jaffa Oranges 311 (photo credit: Courtesy)
Jaffa Oranges 311
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Tension again exists in Jaffa, where curfew continued last night, as a result of the recent agitation conducted there.
A minor demonstration was held in the town yesterday morning, and communications with Tel Aviv were severed by order of the police. The boundary between the towns is under heavy police guard.
The official communique broadcast last night reports a fire in a Jewish school building in the Manshiyeh quarter. Our own correspondent stated that at about 11 o’clock yesterday morning an Arab crowd was seen approaching Mahneh Joseph quarter where there is a kindergarten building belonging to the Tel Aviv Municipality.
A number of Arabs broke into the unoccupied building and destroyed the furniture, some of which they carried off. A panic in the quarter resulted and the police were informed. Arab constable No. 1596, who was on the spot, dispersed the Jewish residents who had congregated.
Other Outrages
A bomb was thrown in front of the Beit Vegan bus in Jaffa at 9:30 yesterday morning, but the explosion occurred when it had passed. No one was injured. Stones and sticks were thrown at another bus. No damage was done.
A bomb exploded outside the large Carasso Building in the evening, but did no damage.
Nails were strewn along King George Avenue.
A report in “Davar” states that the Beit Dajan police post was informed on Monday by the Mukhtar of Yazur village that several young men were collecting in a crowd on the road. Shortly afterwards a Rehovoth bus was stoned.
An Egged bus on route to Jerusalem yesterday was stoned on the Lydda by-pass road, into which it had been diverted by police. Large crowds assembled in Ramleh, it is reported.
Alarming reports of cutting and tampering with the railway lines have been found on inquiry to be grossly exaggerated.
There has been no interference with train service although slight trouble along the Jerusalem-Lydda line is reported.
An engine driver yesterday reported “an explosion at a point between Hadera and Tulkarm,” but a thorough police search failed to discover traces of any explosive.
Three pieces of rail were removed at kilometre 75 of the railway branch line between Massoudieh and Nablus yesterday. The damage was repaired in the morning.
At Ginegar, near the Balfour Forest, Arabs destroyed the motor of a pumping plant. A large fire was reported last night near Zichron Jacob.
Vines in a Jewish vineyard at Givath Ada, near Zichron Jacob, have been trampled and broken. At Kfar Tabor, in Lower Galilee, two fires broke out on Monday night.
At 10:30 on Monday night, it was discovered in the Jerusalem railway station that telephonic communication with Lydda and Haifa and intermediate stations had been cut off. The break in the line was found two kilometres distant from Deir es Sheikh. Precautions are being taken along the line to detect attempted sabotage.
Two attacks on Jews took place in Jerusalem yesterday. In the morning, Arabs assaulted a shopkeeper named Joseph Trigoda and his son who, with a Jewish porter, were attempting to remove goods from their store in the New Market of the Old City. The older man received severe head injuries. In the afternoon a Jew was attacked just inside the New Gate. His lip was cut.
Shots were heard at Tel Arza on Monday night at about 9:30; attempted arson was reported from the Shimon Hazaddik quarter of Jerusalem the same night.
Arab porters carrying vegetables, and accompanied by the Jewish greengrocers, were yesterday assaulted in the Old City and the vegetables considerably damaged.
At 2:30 a peasant woman of Silwan who had brought milk into the Old City was attacked and the contents of the cans spilled. An hour later an Arab was arrested in the Jewish quarter and found in possession of a knife.
Motorists report an increased number of nails strewn along the roads in Jerusalem, after the nuisance had seemingly abated.
Captain Rice, Deputy-General, yesterday afternoon arrested two veiled women strewing nails in Mamillah Road.
Two Arabs have been arrested at Ein Karim on charges of firing at vehicles near the Kastel bends. The culprits were traced with the aid of police dogs.