Religion: Jewry v. Islam

Religious warfare starting in Jerusalem when Arabs attacked the sacred Jewish shrine of the Wailing Wall (TIME, Aug. 26) grew more intense last week. Hallowed to both religions is the small area marked by the ruins of King Solomon’s temple. In it Mohammedans can view with pious awe a golden urn containing two hairs from the beard of the true Prophet. Nearby is the coffin of Mohammed, adorned with 17 golden nails of which the written word says when they fall out all things will come to an end. Of the many relics sanctified to Jews, holiest is the Wailing Wall. For generations they have gone there to lament “. . . for the Temple that is destroyed . . . for our Majesty that is departed … for our Great Men who lie dead. . . .”

Title to the actual possession of this area belongs to the Moslems, but the right has been given to the Jews to use the wall for mourning. Continual charges that the Arabs infringe upon this liberty are made by the Jews, while the Arabs regularly accuse the Jews of exceeding the privilege accorded to them. Each sect claims the British Government is unfair.

Last week the Zionist Executive Council and the National Council of Palestine Jews issued in vain a call to “National discipline and calm behavior.” Jew-baiting by Arabs and raucous rabbles grew worse daily. While Jews banded together to defend themselves against a mighty pogrom, events occurred with wartime rapidity.

¶ A Jewish youth playing ball was fatally stabbed by Arabs. Police attempting to deter his funeral procession from the Moslem quarter clubbed 28 Jews.

Aged Jewish worshippers at the Wailing Wall were stoned by Arabs.

Communists seized the opportunity to urge “an overthrow of British Imperialism.”

Sword-swashing Arabs poured from the Mosque Omar, swooped on the Jewish quarter. Nine Jews and three Arabs were killed, no persons injured.

¶ Martial law was enforced. Six o’clock curfew was ordered, armored cars guarded the streets and airplanes watched from above. Censorship was rigid.

Fierce rioting broke out as the British apparently lost control of the situation. Dagger-armed Arabs systematically raided all parts of Jerusalem and many suburbs.

¶ Fifty infantrymen with machine guns were despatched from Egypt by airplane. The British War Office ordered the tracks between Cairo and Alexandria cleared of traffic to facilitate troop movements.

A super-dreadnought, a light cruiser and an aircraft carrier were despatched from Malta to Palestine. Other ships awaited orders.

¶ Prime Minister James Ramsay MacDonald called a special meeting of the Cabinet. Albert Victor Alexander, First Sea Lord of the British Admiralty, was recalledfrom leave.

¶The chief Rabbi at Jerusalem telegraphed to the chief Rabbi of the British Empire: PALESTINE JEWRY IN GREATEST DANGER RUSH HELP.

¶ Old rumors that the Arabs had hidden large ammunition stores plundered from retreating Turks ten years ago were given credence as heavy shooting increased.

Fully armed, with bands playing, a battalion of the South Wales border regiment marched through Jerusalem. The city quieted but heavy fighting was reported in country districts. Airplanes searched for marauding Arabs, swept them with machine-gun fire. Lifta, an Arab village said to be headquarters of the attack, was bombed.

Twelve U. S. students were killed, 15 wounded when Arabs attacked the Slobodka Rabbinical College at Hebron, a city of 20,000. Thirty-two other Jews were slain in this raid.

The Palestine Government warned the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem he would be held responsible for further violence, summoned Sheiks of surrounding towns to conference.

¶ Far reaching were the effects of the Palestine fighting. To British advocates of a big navy it furnishes a potent argument in the fact that Prime Minister MacDonald, advocate of a smaller fleet, rushed to the Admiralty in the emergency. Empire-men consider gravely the possibility of a Holy War which might spread through Islam from Mesopotamia to Singapore.