CHAPTER SEVEN — Part 3 of 5
5 FEBRUARY 1948
1100 hours, 6-8 Arabs casualties found on Gaza-Beersheba
road at 105097, believed to have been fired at from
Jewish armoured convoy which was later seen going to
nearby Jewish colony of Saad 103 105.
WO 261/573
5 FEBRUARY 1948
Jerusalem. 1302 hours, Urban. Shooting was reported
from the Mikor Haim road near the Carmelite Billet. Police
investigating found the body of Salim Said Seisi (45). The
address on his identity card was given as Mikor Haim. The
body was removed to the Government Hospital, Jerusalem.
The body of Saleh Salim Salameh (22) of Beit Safafa was
also found in the Mikor Haim area. He had been shot and
killed during the firing referred to above. His body also was
removed to the Government Hospital, Jerusalem.
CO 537/3856
5 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 1600 hours, Tel Aviv. Five armed Jews and one
Jewess entered the Polish Welfare Offices at 22, King George
Street, Tel Aviv. Some of the Party stood guard outside while
the remainder held up the manager and clerk whom they
forced to open the safe. They stole between LP.700 and
LP.800 in cash, Postal Orders valued at LP.600, a portable
typewriter, a quantity of papers and a number of postage
stamps. They left the building at 1800 hours after having
disconnected the telephone and ordered the manager not to
leave the building for fifteen minutes.
CO 537/3856
5 FEBRUARY 1948
5 Arabs travelling in jeep towards Gaza met Jewish armed
car. Jews, believed Hagana, fired at jeep, killing 4 and wounding
1 Arab.
WO 275/64
5 FEBRUARY 1948
1 British soldier wounded, believed by Jews whilst
engaged in house search at El Baq'a, Jerusalem.
WO 275/64
6 FEBRUARY 1948
Galilee. 1000 hours, Safad. Near Jubb Yusef on the Rosh
Pinnaiberias road, a truck, driven by Ibrahim Said Abu
Eissa of Nazareth, was ambushed by a party of Jews armed
with automatic weapons. Eissa was wounded in the right leg
and Moussa Mohammed El Khalid of Nazareth, a passenger,
sustained a fractured foot when he jumped from the vehicle.
Neither was seriously injured.
CO 537/3856
6 FEBRUARY 1948
Jerusalem. Approximately 11 15 hours, Urban. No.
14913357 Trooper Rawlings of R.P.U., R.A.C., was shot in
the groin by unknown persons as he was leaving a shop near
Pillars Building in Jaffa Road; his condition is not serious. At
about the same time, Mordechai Kogan (21) of Simcha
House, Jaffa Road, sustained a bullet wound in the leg and
was removed to the Hassolel Clinic. His condition is not
serious. He was armed with a Sten gun which was stolen.
CO 537/3856
6 FEBRUARY 1948
Haifa. 1130 hours. Lutfiyeh Hassan Ikraimed (18) of 72,
Iraq Street, Haifa, was shot and seriously wounded by unknown
persons whilst walking in Ibn Gaboral Street. She was
removed to the Haifa Government Hospital where she died at
1630 hours on the same day.
CO 537/3856
6 FEBRUARY 1948
Jerusalem. 1400 hours. Urban. In Harem Quarter, Old
City, El Haj Abdul Khalid El Yamini (20) of that Quarter was
shot and fatally wounded by snipers from the Jewish Quarter.
CO 537/3856
6 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 1500 hours, Tel Aviv. In Baal Shemtov Street,
Mahshieh Quarter, military demolished a house used by
Jewish snipers.
CO 537/3856
6 FEBRUARY 1948
Galilee. 1500 hours, Safad. Saleh Yousef Idreis was shot
and fatally wounded by unknown persons while walking on
the Birya/Ein Zeitoun track.
CO 537/3856
6 FEBRUARY 1948
1645 hours, shots fired from Jewish Quarter, Old City,
Jerusalem, at Mosque of Omar. 1 Arab killed.
WO 261/573
6 FEBRUARY 1948
Galilee. 2200 hours, Safad. Ammuqa village was attacked
by armed Jews and firing lasted for approximately one hour.
There were no casualties amongst the villagers, but first-aid
equipment and bloodstains were found at the scene.
CO 537/3856
7 FEBRUARY 1948
Galilee, 1000 hours, Safad. In Safad town, Rashid Hamid
Ez (22), of Safad, was shot and killed by unknown persons.
CO 537/3856
7 FEBRUARY 1948
Galilee. Early morning, Safad. Mansurat Al Kheit village
was attacked by a party of approximately 50 armed Jews
carrying automatic weapons, rifles, and grenades. One Arab,
Azziz Awad Ali, was seriously wounded and a small house
was demolished.
CO 537/3856
7 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 1 100 hours, Tel Aviv, Urban. Three unarmed Jews,
who stated that they were Hagana, abducted Margaret Mary
Black (40), a British Jewess, from No. 28 Ha'oved Street, Tel
Aviv, where she was staying with her niece, Ahuva Zeidman.
The three men drove off with Mrs. Black and all her belongings
in a taxi, the number of which is unknown. Mrs. Black
was due to leave Lydda Airport at 1300 hours today for
England. She did not report to Lydda and has not been heard
of since her abduction.
CO 537/3856
7 FEBRUARY 1948
Jerusalem. 1100 hours, Rural. At kilo 21 on the
Jemsalem/Hebron road, a party of Jews attacked four Arab
shepherds and stole 25 cows. One of the shepherds, Kahim
Ehmeidan of Beit Ummar, was wounded in the leg and arm.
Another, Mahmoud Mohammed Hamdullah also of Beit
Ummar, was abducted by the Jews and taken together with
the cattle to Kfar Etzion Colony. The injured man was
removed to the French Hospital, Bethlehem, where his condition
is stated to be serious. Police investigating went to Kfar
Etzion where the Jewish Settlement Police handed over the
shepherd who had been abducted. The Jews stated that the
shepherds had been acting suspiciously, and the Jewish Settlement
Police had tried to arrest them. The shepherds then
tried to make off and the Jewish Settlement Police had fired
wounding one of them, another they succeeded in arresting.
CO 537/3856
7 FEBRUARY 1948
Haifa. 1 120 hours, Urban. On hearing a shot from a Jewish
'bus (No. 6) outside No. 33, Jaffa Road, a police patrol
searched the 'bus and saw Aharon Rosenfeld, of No. 12, Bar
Giora Street, Hadar Hacarmel, throw an object under a rear
seat. This object proved to be a Beretta 9 m.m. automatic
pistol No. 158135 loaded with seven rounds of ammunition.
Rosenfeld was arrested and detained.
CO 537/3856
7 FEBRUARY 1948
Jerusalem. Approximately 1600 hours, Urban. At junction
of Chancellor Avenue and Mea Shearim Street, four R.A.F.C.
privates were held up by a party of unknown Jews who stole
their four rifles. The numbers of the rifles are not available,
but the particulars of the soldiers are as follows: No.
14126875 Private Johnson, J; No. 19065471 Private
Coupland, G.; No. 14134035 Private Massey, S. No.
19025069 Private Askew, S.
The last named was shot in the right arm and removed to
the Station Hospital.
CO 537/3856
7 FEBRUARY 1948
Galilee. Safad. During the day, a telephone message
received from the District Officer, Tel El Has, Lebanon,
stated that during the morning Jews from Manara Colony had
attacked an Arab from Maisel Jebel, Lebanon, in Lebanese
territory, and that the condition of the Arab was serious. This
report has not yet been confirmed and no further details are
available.
CO 537/3856
7 FEBRUARY 1948
Galilee. 2100 hours, Safad. Bren gun and rifle fire was
directed at Ein Zietun village by Jews but no casualties have
been reported. A number of expended cartridge cases were
found at the scene.
CO 537/3856
7 FEBRUARY 1948
Galilee. 2330 hours, Safad. Two unoccupied Arab houses
in the Jebel Biriya Quarter of Safad were blown up and
extensively damaged by unknown persons. No casualties
have been reported.
CO 537/3856
7 FEBRUARY 1948
Jews fired on Arab bus on Ramle-Aqir road 135143. 1
Arab killed and 2 Arabs wounded.
WO 261/573
7 FEBRUARY 1948
1 British soldier and 1 Jew shot and wounded at junction
Jaffa Road and King George V Avenue, Jerusalem by Stern
Group.
8 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 1405 hours, Tel Aviv. At the junction of Yehuda
Halevi Street and the continuation of Rosh Pinna Street,
pick-up No. M 85, driven by the Director of the Survey
Department, Tel Aviv, who was accompanied by another
Britisher, was stopped by a party of armed Jews who ordered
them out of the pick-up and made off in it. The vehicle is
either a Ford or a Chevrolet, green in color and 'Survey
Department of Palestine' is printed on the canvas cover and
on each door. A pass to enter Sarona Camp is in the vehicle.
CO 537/3856
8 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 1450 hours. In the Manshieh Quarter, Naif Yusef
Saleh Ed Din of Syria, who was living in Jaffa, was shot and
slightly wounded by snipers. He was removed to the Government
~ o s ~ i t a l where his condition is reported to be not
serious.
CO 537/3856
8 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 1500 hours, Rehovoth. On the JaffafGaza road, an
Arab truck passing through Gedera was fired upon, no casualties
resulting.
CO 537/3856
9 FEBRUARY 1948
Jerusalem. 0440 hours, Urban. In the New Commercial
Centre, an Arab owned building, the name of which is not
available, was blown up by Jews. The building was partly
demolished and was set on fire. The fire brigade went to the
scene and the fire was under control by 0750 hours. There
were no known casualties. Four haversacks of explosives
were found near the building and were removed by the police
Bomb Disposal Squad.
CO 537/3856
9 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 0730 hours, Tel Aviv. Four Jewish youths approached
the house of Haim Pinn at 55, Hovet Zion Street.
When Pinn opened the door, one of the youths fired a shot at
him wounding him in the arm. He was removed to the
Hadassah Hospital, Tel Aviv, where his condition is not
serious. It is reported that Pinn is a press photographer.
CO 537/3856
9 FEBRUARY 1948
Jerusalem. 1400 hours, Urban. While in the Cafe Lucullus,
Ben Yehuda Street, Jerusalem, Leslie Burki (25) (who is
described as a stateless person born in the Phillipine Islands)
was abducted by a party of armed Jews. He was taken to a
school in the street of the Prophets where he was detained
until evening, when he was conveyed in an armoured car to
a building in Romema Quarter. He was released at 2 100 hours
on 18 February, 1948, near the Zion Cinema, and told to leave
the country. During his confinement, he was questioned at
length about Arab defence positions.
CO 537/3856
9 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 15 14 hours, Jaffa. On the Hatiqva track near Miqve
Israel, a police arrnoured car was fired on by unknown persons
from the direction of the Jaffanel Aviv road. Police
returned the fire with no known results. There were no police
casualties.
CO 537/3856
9 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 1800 hours, Yazur village. In Yazur village, Omar
Abdul Majid (35) was shot and injured when fire was directed
into the village from a passing Jewish convoy. He was
removed to Jaffa Government Hospital.
CO 537/3856
9 FEBRUARY 1948
Haifa. Between 2150 and 2319 hours, Urban. Several
explosions, accompanied by automatic fire, were heard from
various parts of Haifa town. In the Old and New Business
Centres, police armoured cars were fired upon. There were
no police casualties, and no civilian casualties have been
reported.
CO 537/3856
9/10 FEBRUARY 1948
Galilee. Night 9/10 February, Nazareth. Automatic fire
was directed at Iksal village by a party of Jews and villagers
returned the fire. No casualties have been reported.
CO 537/3856
10 FEBRUARY 1948
Galilee. Between 0200 and 03 10 hours, Safad. Two men,
suspected to be Jews, were seen leaving Zuq Et Tahtani
village and were fired upon by villagers. The fire was returned
by a covering party of some fifteen to twenty persons, who
escaped towards Kefar Gilade. Two explosions subsequently
occurred, demolishing the house of Daoud Mustafa, and
extensively damaging a wall of the house of the Mukhtar,
Shehadi Dakil. No casualties have been reported.
CO 537/3856
10 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 0750 hours, Tel Aviv. Three Jews, who claim to
be members of the Irgun Z'vai Leumi, entered the Post Office
Parcels Office at 48, Yehuda Halevy Street and ordered the
person in charge to produce all parcels addressed to Jaffa. He
refused to comply and, after examining the parcels, the Jews
left. No firearms were observed with them.
CO 537/3856
10 FEBRUARY 1948
Jerusalem. Noon, Urban. Awad Ibrahim El Mouri (25) of
no fixed abode, an employee of the Jerusalem Municipality,
was shot dead at the junction of the Bethlehem road and the
road to Government House by the occupants of a Jewish
armoured 'bus.
CO 537/3856
10 FEBRUARY 1948
Haifa. 1530 hours. In Camel Avenue, taxi No. M 248 W,
driven by Khalil Assad Ajjar of Haifa, was fired upon by the
occupants of a passing truck No. M 363 H who are believed
to have been Jews. The driver was uninjured but slight
damage was caused to the vehicle.
CO 537/3856
10 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 1700 hours, Petah Tiqvah. A party of twelve Arabs
from Et Tira village (Tulkarm Sub-District) returning in a
truck from selling cattle in the Petah Tiqvah area, was stopped
by a large number of Jews in a truck near 120 M.U. Royal Air
Force Camp, Ras El Ein. The Arabs were made to alight from
their vehicle and were taken into the nearby orange grove of
Abu Lebban from which firing was subsequently heard. Jews
were then seen to leave the grove and enter the truck which
was driven away. The following dead and wounded Arabs
were taken to Jaffa Government Hospital and the Royal Air
Force Camp: Dead - Ibrahim Mohammed Ahmed El Haj
(20); Mahmoud Hassan Attieh (30); Saleh Mohammed
Suleiman (18); Abdul Fattah Hussein (37); Mahmoud Mustafa
Khalil (42); Mohammed Ali Eissa (48); Hassan
Mohammed Eissa (42). Injured (believed seriously) -
Ahmed Ibrahim Abdulla (24); Lutfi Yassin Khal (25);
Shehadi Abdul Wahab (27); Mustafa Saleh Kassim (23);
Ahmed Hassan Saleh (70).
CO 537/3856
10 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. The house of Mohammed Salim Kalha in the
Manshieh Quarter of Jaffa was burnt and completely
destroyed by Jews. The damage is estimated at LP.8,000.
CO 537/3856
11 FEBRUARY 1948
Jerusalem. 1525 hours. Urban. Three Jews in acommercial
van No. M89T patrolled in the Talbieh Quarter broadcasting
in Arabic, Hebrew and English. The text of the broadcast was,
"Arabs get out of this quarter." The three Jews, whose names
are given below, were arrested by police and the van was
impounded.
Eliahu Ben Moses Sirre (24), of Jerusalem; Zvi Ben
Ephraim Shohan (21), of Jerusalem; Shmuel Ben Ludwig
Kneller (23), of Jerusalem.
CO 537/3856
11 FEBRUARY 1948
Galilee. 1900 hours, Acre. Jamil Kassim Ali (30), of Deir
El Assad village, was shot in the stomach and seriously
injured by unknown persons while he was travelling from
Acre to his village in his car. He was removed to the Government
Hospital, Haifa, where his condition is serious.
CO 537/3856
11 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 2200 hours, Jaffa. In Ajami Road, Jaffa, Yousef
Salah Ed Din (30) of Beit Rima, Ramallah Sub-District, was
shot in the head and killed by unknown persons.
CO 537/3856
12 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 0630 hours, Tel Aviv. Between Sarona and Tel
Aviv, a P.W.D. truck No. M 905, loaded with a Diesel water
pump, a water tank and pipes, was stopped by seven armed
Jews. The driver, Jack Nachnisker, was ordered to take the
armed men to the Hadassah Gardens, Tel Aviv, and there he
was held prisoner until 1400 hours when he was released and
told that he would find the truck outside the Survey Department,
Tel Aviv. He recovered the vehicle at the place indicated,
but the load had been removed.
CO 537/3856
12 FEBRUARY 1948
Jerusalem. 08 15 hours, Urban. At the junction of Upper
Baqa'a and Meqor Haim roads, a person in a Jewish armoured
bus travelling from Talpioth to Meqor Haim fired one shot
which broke a window in a No. 6 Arab bus. The following
Arabs were wounded by glass fragments but were allowed to
proceed after first-aid treatment: 1) Fouad Jarjoura of
Jerusalem; 2) Ali El Haj Ibrahim Subeir of Si'ir village; 3)
Ribhi Yusef Salahi of Jaffa.
CO 537/3856
12 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 0845 hours, Petah Tiqvah. At the Haifa/Lydda
crossroads, Yousef Karpin of Haifa, driver of Shell Petrol
tanker No. M9235, male 'International', was held up by a
party of armed Jews who stole the vehicle and detained
Karpin in a nearby orange grove until 1730 hours when he
was released and reported the robbery to the police. The
tanker contained 1,500 gallons of petrol. -
CO 537/3856
12 FEBRUARY 1948
0850 hours, Arab bus blown up at 20302790.1 Arab killed
and 1 Arab wounded.
WO 261/573
12 FEBRUARY 1948
Gaza. 1600 hours. On El Denqur lands, some ten armed
Jews from Heirun Colony held up the Arab occupants of a
truck and searched them. The Arabs were from the Jaffa area
and had come to settle on El Denqur lands, and the Jews
viewed their movements with suspicion when they alighted
from the vehicle within sight of the colony.
CO 537/3856
12 FEBRUARY 1948
Haifa. 1914 hours. A party of approximately 20 armed
Jews, dressed in police and military uniforms, drove up to
Carrnel 'Bus station in three-ton truck No. M 9207 and two
of the party, dressed as Arabs, alighted and opened fire at the
Arab guards. Under covering fire, members of the party
planted several bombs and the whole party then withdrew.
Several explosions took place afterwards and a fire broke out.
The fire brigade and police had the fire under control by 1945
hours but eight buses were burnt out; extensive damage was
also caused to No. 5 'Bus station. Seven bombs found at the
scene were rendered harmless. The truck in which the attackers
arrived was later found abandoned at the scene. The
following casualties resulted from the attack: Dead -
Mohammed Mustafa Abdul Khader (27) of Carmel Station;
Fuad Latif Younis Ghranam (30) of Carmel Station; one
unidentified Arab.
CO 537/3856
12 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 2330 hours, Ramle. Yazur village was attacked
from all sides by armed Jews who used mortar, automatic
weapons and rifles. The villagers replied. The attack ceased
at dawn. During the attack, three houses and a piggery were
blown up and completely destroyed. The following Arab
casualties have been reported: Dead - Mohammed Hassan
Ali (65) of Ramle. Seriously injured - Rashidi Rashid Saleh
(23); Abdul Aziz Mohammed Hassan Ibrahim (25); Abed
Khalil Nattur (35).
CO 537/3856
12 FEBRUARY 1948
A party of Haganah terrorists, disguised as Arabs, arrived
at the Mt. Carmel garage in Haifa. They entered the garage
and asked the night watchman the way to the Government
Hospital. While he was giving them the directions, one of the
Haganah men was planting a mine in the garage itself. The
explosion, which took place immediately after the Haganah
men drove away, started a fire, completely gutting the garage
and burning 14 cars. Six victims of this cowardly act included
a girl of eight.
United Nations Security Council Official Records, Supplements
- 1948.
12 FEBRUARY 1948
On the Nabi Yusha-Safad road (2026) mine electrically
detonated, allegedly by Jews, destroyed Arab bus. 5 Arabs
killed, 4 seriously wounded.
WO 261/573
12 FEBRUARY 1948
Cemeteries of all the Christian communities in Jaffa are
grouped in one locality, each having its own guard. Zionist
terrorists from the neighbouring Jewish settlement of Bath
Yom opened fire and hurled hand grenades on the Christian
cemeteries. Five Christian Arabs were killed, including three
girls aged five, eight and eleven.
United Nations Security Council Official Records,
Supplements - 1948.
12 FEBRUARY 1948
Pour Haganah gangmen in a British army pick-up car and
disguised as Arabs, arrived at Kalkaliah from the nearby
Jewish settlement of Kafr Saba. They opened fire and threw
hand grenades on three lonely Arab houses on the outskirts
of the village killing five persons, including a girl of five and
two boys of eight and thirteen years respectively.
United Nations Security Council Official Records,
Supplements - 1948.
12/13 FEBRUARY 1948
Gaza. 1600 hours, Gaza. The Arab truck driver,
Mohammed Tewfik Ramadan of Beit Jiz village, Ramle area,
who was the only person the Jews abducted returned unharmed
with his truck to Khan Yunis on the morning of 13
February, 1948. He stated that the Jews took him to Nir'am
colony, where they questioned him. They then blindfolded
him and took him to another colony where he was questioned
in fluent Arabic. At this colony, he was relieved of his truck,
driving license and a sack of oranges. Once again, he was
blindfolded and taken to an Arab encampment, which he does
not know. There the Jews released him after immobilizing his
vehicle. He repaired the truck and returned to Khan Yunis.
CO 537/3856
12/13 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. Night, 12/13 February, 1948, Jaffa. It is reported
that the house of Eid Hasim Esh Shatra in Jebaliya Quarter
was destroyed by Jews. The damage is estimated at LP. 7,200.
CO 537/3856
12/13 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 2300 hours 12 February until 0330 hours 13
February, Jaffa/Tel Aviv area. Loud explosions and heavy
firing were heard from the Salameh Road, Bassa Lands, Abu
Kebir and Sakhat Darwish areas. During the engagement, an
Arab School and an Arab house in Abu Kebir Quarter are
known to have been blown up and completely demolished.
The following are known casualties: Dead - (a) Jews:
Yaacov Yeuth (1 8) of Tel Aviv; Emmanuel Margalite (1 9) of
Tel Aviv; Nathan Burnstein (30) of Tel Aviv; Josheph Shoab
(14) of Tel Aviv. (b) Arabs: Mohammed Saleh Kourosh of
Abu Kebir; Abdul Rahman Mohammed Abu Rahmi of Abu
Kebir; Hassan El Masri of Abu Kebir; Daoud Mohammed
Mesawi of Abuk Kabir; Haj Suleiman Saleh Tamimi of Abu
Kebir.
CO 537/3856
13 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 0010 hours, Abu Kebir. No. 2899 P/Constable
Ahmed Khalil Yunis was slightly wounded by splinters when
a bomb exploded near the P.W.D. premises in Abu Kebir
village while he was on guard duty. He was discharged after
treatment at the Dajani Hospital.
CO 537/3856
13 FEBRUARY 1948
Haifa. 0454 hours, Urban. An unknown car carrying three
persons, believed to be Jews, stopped outside No. 41
Hashomair Street, Haifa. The occupants of the car got out and
made off in the direction of Hadar Hacarmel. A few moments
later, the car blew up destroying the three unoccupied Arab
houses. No casualties have been reported.
CO 537/3856
13 FEBRUARY 1948
Samaria, 0945 hours, Kafr Saba. A vehicle carrying a
number of Jews dressed in military uniform was proceeding
from Qalquilya to Jewish Kafr Saba when the occupants
opened fire on Arab labourers working in the vicinity of Kafr
Saba village. One Arab was killed and three others injured.
Later, two trucks coming from the direction of Jewish Kafr
Saba were fired on by Arabs and forced to turn back. Sporadic
firing between the two villages ensued until police and
military arrived on the scene. The area then became quiet. No
Jewish casualties were reported. The Arab casualties are as
follows: Dead - A watchman known as "Hussein". Seriously
injured - Abdul Fattik Anis Esweilin, of Arab Kafr Saba.
CO 537/3856
13 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 1000 hours, Petah Tiqvah. Acting on information
received, a police party proceeded to Fajja Village where it
is alleged that on the Lyddamaifa road, armed Jews travelling
in a small car had fired on a passing Arab truck, killing the
driver and one of the passengers and injuring another. The
incident is subject to confirmation as the villagers could not
give the names or whereabouts of the casualties. The only
information that could be ascertained was that the Arab truck
was from the Tulkarm area.
CO 537/3856
13 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 1030 hours, Jaffa. A party of Jews directed fire
from three mortars at the Jaffa Railway Station Goods Yard.
The bombs exploded causing no damage or casualties. The
attack was accompanied by small arms fire for approximately
five minutes.
CO 537/3856
13 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 1100 hours, Ramle. The following casualties
resulted when a party of three Arabs were fired on by two
persons, allegedly Jewish Settlement Police, from an unknown
civilian truck at kilo 55 on the LyddaIPetah Tiqva
road: Dead - Abdul Latif Abdul Rahman Hassadalla (40),
of Fajja village. Slightly injured - Deebeh bint Abdul Rahman
Hassadalla (35)' of Fajja village. Both were removed to
the P.H.D., Ramle.
CO 537/3856
13 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 1300 hours, Jaffa. The following persons were !
injured when a mortar bomb struck their house in Jabaliya
Quarter: Seriously Injured - Fattah Sawan (20). Slightly
injured - Othman Sawan (12); Ina'am bint Mahmoud
Sawan; Mafeedem bint Mahmoud Sawan (10). All were
removed to the Government Hospital, Jaffa.
CO 537/3856
13 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 1400 hours, Jaffa. Deebeh Yusef Adawi (45), of
Fajja village, was admitted to the Government Hospital, Jaffa,
having been slightly injured when shot in unknown circumstances
in her village.
CO 537/3856
13 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 1400 hours, Jaffa. Hussein Mahmoud (30), of Tel
er Rish, was shot and fatally injured in Tel er Rish when fired
on from the direction of Holon. His body was removed to the
Government Hospital, Jaffa.
CO 537/3856
13 FEBRUARY 1948
1430 hours, Arab bus attacked by Jews on road in Miqve,
Israel, Southeast of Tel Aviv. 4 Arabs injured.
WO 261/573
13 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 1600 hours, Tel Aviv. Four armed Jewish youths
entered the Izmi Cafe in Mea Shearim Street and abducted
the owner, Abraham Ben Abrahm, aged 33. They made off
on foot in an unknown direction. The motive for the abduction
is not known.
CO 537/3856
13 FEBRUARY 1948
Haifa. 1645 hours. At Ir Ganim colony, on the AcreKefar
Ata road, private car No. M406D, driven by Tewfik Jader
Sulieman, of Shafr Amr, with passengers Mahmoud Moh'd
Dallal and his son, Isima'an, proceeding to Shafr Amr, broke
down. A party of four Jews, three armed with Sten guns and
one with a rifle, approached and attempted to search the
occupants. The Arabs made off, and the Jews opened fire.
There were no casualties. The police arrived on the scene after
the Jews had left. They arrested and detained the driver of the
car who was in possession of a 9 m.m. Luger automatic pistol
No. 5344 and 8 rounds of 9 m.m. ammunition. An attempt
had been made by the Jews to set fire to the car.
CO 537/3856
13 FEBRUARY 1948
Hagana attacked Beit Safafa (169128) with SA and mortars.
4 houses blown up. Casualties: 1 Arab killed, 5 seriously
injured.
WO 261/573
13 FEBRUARY 1948
Party of 20 armed Jews dressed as police and military
drove to Cannel bus station, Haifa, 14922483.2 Jews in Arab
dress jumped out of vehicle, shot Arab guards, entered bus
station and planted a bomb which exploded. Bus station
damaged; 8 buses burnt out.
WO 261/573
13 FEBRUARY 1948
Jews dressed in military uniform travelling in vehicle from
Qalqiliya to Kafr Saba opened fire on Arabs near Kafr Saba
(145176). Casualties: 1 Arab killed, 1 seriously injured.
WO 261/573
14 FEBRUARY 1948
An attack by the Stern, which the Hagana did not interfere
with, was carried out against the Mufti's house on Mount
Scopus at approximately 0200 hours on 14 February. The
house was almost completely destroyed, and the explosion
was so great that another house belonging to the Mufti
(tenanted by Mrs. Antonius, widow of the author of "The
Arab Awakening") and which stood opposite across the road,
was severely damaged by the blast. The Stern allege that the
Arabs had used the building as a point from which they fired
on vehicles proceeding up to the Hadassah Hospital area.
WO 261/573
14 FEBRUARY 1948
Jerusalem. 0225 hours, Urban. Near the Wallach Hospital,
a police mobile patrol found a sack containing the body of an
Arab who had sustained bullet wounds in the back. Deceased,
who was aged about 25/30 years and is believed to have died
three to four hours previously, carried an Egyptian licence,
without a photograph, bearing the name Mahmoud Abdullah
Am'adi of Khartoum.
CO 537/3856
14 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 1245 hours, Jaffa. A police armoured car and a
military armoured car were firedupon from Jewish snipers'
positions in the Migdam Chocolate Factory, Hassan Bey
Road, a spirit factory approximately 100 metres from the
chocolate factory and a house. The fire was returned. No
casualties have been reported.
CO 537/3856
14 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 1415 hours, Jaffa. Hussein Mahmoud Sumeir (1 1)
of Ramle was admitted to the JaffaGovernment Hospital with
severe gunshot wounds in the back which he received in
unknown circumstances.
CO 537/3856
14 FEBRUARY 1948
Gaza, 1430 hours. A Jewish convoy travelling north
crashed through a road-block at the southern approaches to
Bureir village, and the occupants shot eight cattle as they
passed through.
CO 537/3856
14 FEBRUARY 1948
Haifa, 1645 hours. At kilo 1211 3 on the Khirbet Al MansouraIZichron
Ya'acov road, two Arab pedestrians, Hussen
Abu Sama'an and Abdul Ahanayam, both of Zichron
Ya'acov, were fired upon by armed Jews who approached in
a truck from the rear. Both Arabs were wounded but not
seriously.
CO 537/3856
14 FEBRUARY 1948
2030 hours, Jews threw grenades and fired on Manshiya
police station, Jaffa. Firing in Abu Kebir quarter, Jaffa. 1
British soldier wounded.
WO 261/573
14 FEBRUARY 1948
2359 hours, Cisrshikh Hussein bridge over Jordan
21432105 blown up by Jews. Road impassable to all vehicles.
Side bridge also demolished. 2 bridges destroyed.
WO 261/573
14 FEBRUARY 1948
1 Para Brigade (2 MX), Acre. Ghaffir at 142 MU informed
2 MX that armed Jews were looting camp. IA pl sent out.
11 Jews. All armed. Captured without incident.
WO 275/48
14 FEBRUARY 1948
Bomb thrown from civilian truck believed Jewish into
Arab bus at Ramle (138148). 4 Arabs wounded. Occupants
of truck opened fire wounding 3 more. Mob gathered, fired
on next vehicle, Armed Car of 12 A/T Regiment. Police
intervened. Situation quickly brought under control.
WO 261/573
14 FEBRUARY 1948
Bomb thrown from civilian truck, believed Jewish, into
Arab bus at Ramle (138148). 4 Arabs wounded. Occupants
of truck opened fire wounding 3 more.
WO 275/64
14 FEBRUARY 1948
Six Zionist criminals in a stolen British pick-up and disguised
in British army uniforms drove up to an Arab shop in
the town of Ramleh, on the road between Jaffa and Jerusalem.
One of the terrorists offered to sell what he described to be
"some British army property" in a sack. When his offer was
turned down, he ran away, leaving the sack behind. Needless
to say, the sack was filled with high explosives and mines
which immediately exploded, wrecking two houses, besides
the shop where the sack was left, and other shops in the
neighbourhood. Eight bodies of innocent Arabs were extracted,
including those of a five year old girl, and two boys,
three and eleven years of age.
United Nations Security Council Official Records,
Supplements - 1948.
15 FEBRUARY 1948
At about 4 a.m. a party of the Haganah approached the
village of Sa'sa', in the Safad sub-district, lying to theextreme
north of Palestine on the borders of Lebanon. Under the cover
of darkness the party planted mines and high explosives in
three Arab houses, which were completely demolished. The
bodies of eleven Arab men, women and children were extracted
from under the debris. These included a girl ten years
old and five boys ranging in ages from nine to fifteen.
United Nations Security Council Official Records,
Supplements - 1948.
15 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 1 120 hours, Urban. Hamdi Darhan Said, of Haifa,
was shot and seriously wounded while travelling in a taxi
along Nazareth Street, Haifa. The fire is believed to have
come from the direction of Tel Amal. He was admitted to the
Government Hospital, Haifa.
CO 537/3856
15 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 1230 hours, Jaffa. Three of four mortar bombs,
believed to have been fired from Tel Aviv, exploded in the
area of Jaffa Railway Station. There were no casualties.
Municipal Police replied with rifle fire withno known results.
CO 537/3856
15 FEBRUARY 1948
Haifa. 1320 hours, Rural. Near Camp 157 on the Ahuzza/
Isfiya road, an Arab Legion truck was blown up by a mine
detonated by unknown persons from about 70 yards away.
Three shots were also fired at the truck. The following soldiers
were slightly injured: 1) No. 1332 1 Lieutenant Corporal
Kamal Yousef; 20 No. 38074 Private Abdul Khalaf; 3) No.
133871 Private Mohammed Ahmed Salem; 4) No. 98009
Private Abdullah Ahmed Sallam.
All the injured were removed to the B.M.H., Haifa. The
truck was only slightly damaged.
CO 537/3856
15 FEBRUARY 1948
1330 hours, 3 ton lorry bearing markings of 478 Company
RASC containing 12 Jews in RASC uniform entered D.I.D.
Camp 72, ade era 14272043. Held up guard, 2 civilian lorries,
each containing approximately 10 Jews, then entered camp.
2 DR on SDS run entered Camp during raid. Jews held them
up and stole their arms and MICs.
Theft - All dry rations from DID; rifles from guard; 1
MIC and 1 three-ton lorry from DID; and arms from 2 DRs
and 2 MICs.
WO 261/573
15 FEBRUARY 1948
Jerusalem. 1600 hours, Urban. Mahmoud Sulieman
Alarasi of Malha village was found between Katamon and
Mikor Haim with six bullet wounds in his body. He was
removed to the Government Hospital, Jerusalem, in a serious
condition. It is believed that he was riding past Mikor Haim
on his donkey when he was fired on from a Bren gun. The
donkey was shot dead.
CO 537/3856
15 FEBRUARY 1948
Haifa. 1745 hours, Urban. In Iraq Street, the following
persons were shot by Jewish snipers: Yacoub Yusef
Mohammed Ahmed (30), of Nazareth Road - not serious;
Bint Jamil Ahmed (50) of Nazareth Road-not serious. Both
were removed to the Government Hospital, Haifa.
CO 537/3856
15 FEBRUARY 1948
Haifa. 2120 hours, Urban. At Prophet's Steps, No.
14 1 143 13 Gunner Crampton was shot and fatally injured and
No. 1444923 Gunner Dunn was seriously wounded when
fired on by unknown persons. Both the soldiers are from the
6th Airborne Division. The body of Funner Crampton and the
injured man were removed to the B.M.H., Haifa. A Sten gun
No. B76436 belonging to one of the soldiers is missing.
CO 537/3856
15 FEBRUARY 1948
Search in area Plumer Square, Haifa, revealed arms and
ammunition. 4 British soldiers wounded, 5 Jews detained.
WO 275/64
15 FEBRUARY 1948
Jisr Sheikh Hussein Bridge over Jordan (2052 12) blown
up by Hagana. Now open to one way traffic.
WO 275/64
15/16 FEBRUARY 1948
There have been two incidents of shooting involving the
Arab Legion and Haganah. The first of these was on Sunday,
15 February, when shots were fired from a Jewish bus at the
Arab Legion guards around Barclays Bank in Kingsway. The
guards replied with fire in all directions, killing one Jew, who
appears to have been innocent of any connection with the
incident. Early on Monday evening and Tuesday morning,
there were a series of incidents near the Arab Legion camp at
Ahuzzat. The Arab sentry there was shot by a Jew in a bus
passing through the barrier. A taxi following the bus was shot
up by a bren gun post of the camp and brought to a halt. The
story of what then happened is conflicting, but it seems
probable that the Jews were in fact beaten up and shot by the
guard, and their bodies placed in the positions where they
were later found by the police. Early the following morning,
an Arab Legion truck passing a Haganah post was shot up,
and a battle developed between the post and the Arab Legionnaires,
who arrived as reinforcements. When British troops
arrived on the scene, they had two vehicles put out of action
by fire from the post and later carried out a platoon attack on
it. The Jews wisely withdrew. One senior Haganah leader has
said that if "provocative" attacks by the Arab Legion continues,
younger and less responsible members of Haganah
may take "drastic and regrettable " action.
WO 275/79
16 FEBRUARY 1948
Gaza. Morning, Beersheba. Abdul Khader Mohammed
Abdul Khader of Ishira Abu Shimar, Khirbat El Huzaiylil
area, reported that of early in the morning, his brother,
Ahmed, together with eleven goats had been placed in an
armoured car by ten armed Jews at a point one kilo west of
the track between Khirbat El Huzaiyil and Mishmar
Hanegeve, and that the vehicle had then disappeared travelling
towards Mishmar Hanegev. Complainant accompanied a
party of police and military personnel to the Colony, but the
(Jewish) mukhtar denied all knowledge of the incident. A
police officer was refused permission by the mukhtar to look
round the colony and the O.C. troops called up a platoon of
infantry by wireless. The Outbuildings were visited in the
failing light but no signs were seen of the missing boy or
goats, and the mukhtar was informed that police would return
on 17 February, 1948, and his assistance was requested in
clearing up the matter. Abdul Khader maintained that he
recognized an armoured car present in the colony as the one
used in the abduction, but the mukhtar stated that his complainant
was false. Whilst searching, personnel observed ten
Jews, armed with rifles, appear over a nearby hill and enter
the colony from the rear.
CO 537/3856
16 FEBRUARY 1948
Haifa, morning. In Nazareth Road, Naim Elias Saleh (32)
of Shafa Amr was shot and fatally wounded by unknown
persons.
CO 537/3856
16 FEBRUARY 1948
Haifa, morning. In Iraq Street, Yehia Abdulla (12) of
Tantora village was shot by unknown person and seriously wounded.
CO 537/3856
16 FEBRUARY 1948
Jerusalem. 13 10 hours, Urban. Firing broke out from the
Yemen Moshe Quarter directed at Jaffa Gate area and the Old
City walls and continued until 1400 hours. Sporadic firing
from the quarter recommenced at 1455 hours and carried on
until 1546 hours. At 1440 hours, three platoons of soldiers
were turned out and took up positions at Bishop Gobat's
School, on the Old City wall facing Yeman Moshe and near
the Scots Hospice. Military also occupied the Municipal
Gardens at Jaffa Gate which had been encircled with barbed
wire. All firing ceased at 1610 hours. At 1640 hours, the crew
of an armoured car at Jaffa Gate reported that a T.S.M.C. was
being fired, single action, at Yemen Moshe and, shortly
afterwards, this vehicle was itself fired upon from Yemen
Moshe. The crew returned the fire, and the vehicle was not
again fired upon. At 1713 hours, fire, which ceased almost
immediately, was directed from Yemen Moshe at traffic on
the Bethlehem road.
CO 537/3856
16 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 1400 hours, Ramle. At kilo 38 on the Wadi Sarrar
road, opposite Khulda village, an Arab taxi travelling towards
Qatra passed a Jewish convoy travelling in the opposite
direction. As the taxi passed the last vehicle in the convoy,
Jewish settlement police, who were travelling in the vehicle,
are alleged to have opened fire on the taxi, seriously wounding
Khalil Ali, Mukhtar of Jilya village.
CO 537/3856
16 FEBRUARY 1948
Jerusalem, 1445 hours. Near St. John Ophthalmic Hospital,
Ahmed Mohammed Jaber Arrab (17) of Battir village,
who was walking from Jaffa Gate towards the Government
Printing Press, was shot and killed by unknown persons.
CO 537/3856
16 FEBRUARY, 1948
Lydda. 1500 hours, Jaffa. In the Jabaliya Quarter, Ihsan
Said Masri (35) of Jaffa was shot dead by a Jewish sniper from
Holon.
CO 537/3856
16 FEBRUARY 1948
Haifa, 1530 hours. Whilst travelling in a No. 1 'bus along
Hejaz Street, Niem Salama Hanna (18) of Nablus, living in
Haifa, and Amin Michael Kupelsi (1 8) of Nazareth, were shot
by unknown persons. Kupelsi was seriously wounded and
Hanna's condition is quoted as not serious.
CO 537/3856
16 FEBRUARY 1948
At 4:30 p.m., a bomb was thrown by Haganah members
into the garden of Dormitio Abbey, Mt. Zion, which caused
damage to part of the building and barely missed two fathers
who were in the vicinity.
United Nations Security Council Official Records,
Supplements - 1948.
16 FEBRUARY 1948
Jewish bus killed one guard on Arab Legion road block on
Mount Camel, Haifa. Three Jews in following car shot and
killed by Arab guard.
WO 275/64
16 FEBRUARY 1948
On 16 February 1948 the Jews threw hand grenades into
the yard of the German Catholic Church, Jerusalem.
United Nations Security Council Official Records,
Supplements - 1948.
16 FEBRUARY 1948
Fire was directed from Jewish automatic arms at Al-Aqsa
Mosque from nests in the synagogue of the Old City.
United Nations Security Council Official Records,
Supplements - 1948.
17 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 0030 to 0600 hours, Jaffa/T.A. border area.
Numerous explosions and automatic fire were heard from the
Abu KebirJSalameh Road and Tel Er Rish areas. No casualties
were reported. Jews were alleged to be firing from the
Hatiqva Quarter to Holon under cover of this fire.
CO 537/3856
17 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 0200 hours, Rehovoth. A party of 30 Jews, some
wearing uniforms and carrying arms, held up the watchman,
Omar Saleh El Bazyani at the P.W.D. campat ~ a f r ~ i l u . They
stole his licensed Mauser pistol No. 8075, calibre 7.65 and 25
rounds of ammunition. They then entered the camp and stole
two 5-ton 'Dodge' water-trucks Numbers M103S and
M119S, color grey. They also made off with a quantity of
other stores, the value of which is unknown. On leaving the
camp, they attacked Ahmed El Makali, an Arab employee of
the P.W.D. from the Hejaz. He was removed to the P.H.D.,
Ramle, where his condition is stated to be serious.
CO 537/3856
17 FEBRUARY 1948
Jerusalem. 0600 hours, Urban. An Arab-owned house in
the Hosh El Ghoslan Quarter, which is on the borders of the
Arab and Jewish quarters of the Old City, was blown up by
Jews and completely destroyed. Firing broke out in the area
following the explosion and lasted until approximately 9:30
a.m. The following casualties resulted: Dead - 1) Abdul
Waswas (24) of Hebron. Seriously Injured - 2) Private
McSpencer of Highland Light Infantry; 3) Private McCarthy
of Highland Light Infantry; 4) Private Scott of Highland Light
Infantry. Slightly Injured - 5) Corporal Borlambe, of Highland
Light Infantry. The military casualties were admitted to
the Station Hospital, Talbieh,
C0/537/3856
17 FEBRUARY 1948
Galilee. 1300 hours, Safad. In Birya village, two shots
were fired by two unknown persons, believed to have been
Jews dressed in battledress, at Yehia Yusef Sha'aban, of
Birya, as he was tending some 30 sheep on the village lands.
He was not injured and ran to the village for help. When he
returned he saw his attackers driving the sheep towards Birya
colony. He did not attempt to recover his flock.
CO 537/3856
17 FEBRUARY 1948
1345 hours, party of Irgun Z'vai Leumi held up staff of I Spinneys main branch
on JaffaiTel Aviv border. Entire stock
of provisions stolen.
WO 261/573
17 FEBRUARY 1948
Jerusalem. 1415 hours, Urban. Two Jews approached the
Jewish watchman on duty at the gate to the P.W.D. garage in
Bazalel Street and said that they wished to inspect the drains.
As he opened the gate, they drew pistols from their pockets
and took him to the garage office where they detained him.
Some thirty armed Jews then entered the premises and stole
a blue 5-ton "Dodge" water truck, without numberplates, and
a large quantity of vehicle spares and tools.
The relief watchman and aclerk who arrived at 1430 hours
were also detained in the office, and all three men were
released at 1540 hours, when the intruders drove away in two
trucks which they had brought with them which also bore no
number plates.
CO 537/3856
17 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 1725 hours, Rehovoth. On the outskirts of
Rehovoth on the RehovothKafr Bilu road, six armed Jews
held up two trucks which were towing two water-trucks
belonging to P.W.D., Tel Aviv. The water-trucks are 'Dodge'
3-tonners, grey, No's M138S and M102S. The four Jewish
drivers and a storeman were removed from their vehicles and
held prisoner for one hour in a nearby grove. When they were
released, they found that only the water-trucks had been
stolen by the armed Jews.
CO 537/3856
17 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda, Ramle. During the past two weeks, the following
two Arab houses were looted near Moledet Colony:
The house of Ahmed Mohammed Abu Smeesh -property
valued at L.P. 200 stolen; the house of Fatmi Abu Smeesh
-property valued at L.P. 2,000 stolen.
CO 537/3856
18 FEBRUARY 1948
Galilee. 0015 hours, Tiberias. Two unoccupied houses on
the outskirts of Esh Shajara Village were blown up by a party
of armed Jews. At the same time, some shots were fired in the
course of a minor diversionary attack made on the northern
part of the village. No casualties have been reported and
damage is estimated at LP. 500.
CO 537/3856
18 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 0800 hours, Tel Aviv. Nine armed Jews entered an
office at No. 1 Jaffa/Tel Aviv Road, held up two drivers of
the Shell Company and stole their vehicles. The drivers were
taken to the Hasharon Gardens in Levantine Street and held
prisoner until 0930 hours.
CO 537/3856
18 FEBRUARY 1948
At 2:30 in the afternoon, an Irgun Z'vai Leumi terrorist
disguised as an Arab and riding a donkey, arrived at the
Ramleh vegetable market. The terrorist started to bargain for
some vegetables from a woman vendor, paid her the price and
asked her to look after his donkey and the basket on its back,
while the terrorist left, saying he was going to buy some meat
from an adjacent market. In less then ten minutes the mines
and high explosives in the basket exploded killing 12 and
wounding 43 persons. Among the killed were four children
less then ten years of age and four less than fourteen.
The explosion was so terrible that it was impossible to
identify more than one of the victims. The Palestine Government
official communique describing this incident said that
pieces of the heads, hands, legs and internal parts of the dead
were gathered from places two miles away from the scene of
the explosion.
United Nations Security Council Official Records,
Supplements - 1948.
18 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 1600 hours, Ramle. In Beit Far village, Majdi
Ismain Lehon and his wife, Adineh, were abducted by a party
of armed Jews and have not yet been located.
CO 537/3856
18 FEBRUARY 1948
Gaza, 2330 hours. On the main Gaza by-pass road near
Gaza Airport corner, a passing Jewish convoy is alleged to
have fired some shots from a Bren gun at some Municipal
Police manning the road-block. The police returned the fire
with no known result. There were no police casualties.
CO 537/3856
19 FEBRUARY 1948
Jerusalem. 0930 hours, Rural. An Arab 'bus (No. 21)
proceeding along the Bethlehem road was fired on by Jews
from Ramat Rahel. Four Arabs in the 'bus were injured and
were removed to the Beit Safafa Hospital.
CO 537/3856
19 FEBRUARY 1948
Haifa. 1000 hours, Urban. In El Alamain, taxi No. 1 1532,
driven by Mohammed Mahsin Saleh Ed Din (50) of Sa'ada,
Lebanon, and carrying two passengers, Sheikh Mohammed
Nimer El Khatib of Haifa and Bahij Omar El Makdeb (32) of
Sa'ada, Lebanon, was travelling from Ras En Naqura. On
reaching Kiryiat Motskin, an unknown vehicle believed to
have contained four Jews followed the taxi. Near C.R.L,, the
occupants of the unknown vehicle directed a burst of some
30 rounds from an automatic weapon at the taxi. The two
passengers were seriously wounded, but the driver was uninjured.
Sheikh Mohammed was removed to the Amin Hospital,
Haifa, and the other passenger to the Government
Hospital.
CO 537/3856
19 FEBRUARY 1948
Haifa. 1415 hours, Urban. In Fureidis village, Akleh
Abdul Khader El Hamid (25), of that village, was shot and
killed by unknown persons who fired into the village from a
passing vehicle. Her body was removed to the Government
Hospital, Haifa.
CO 537/3856
19 FEBRUARY 1948
Jerusalem. 1445 hours, Urban. No. 19003 168 Private
Woods and No. 1901 173 Private Whaler, both of the Royal
Warwicks, were fired on by two armed Jews at the junction
of Jaffa Road and Luntz Street. Private Whaler was fatally
injured and Private Woods was wounded but not seriously.
The injured man and the body of his companion were
removed to the Hassolel Clinic. Immediately after the shooting,
the two armed men were joined by two other Jews who
stole the soldiers' Sten guns. All four Jews made good their
escape along Luntz Street.
CO 537/3856
19 FEBRUARY 1948
Haifa. 1530 hours, Urban. In Nazareth Road, Ahmed
Salim Ibrahim (22) of Nazareth Road was shot and slightly
injured by unknown persons. He was removed to the Amin
Hospital.
CO 537/3856
19 FEBRUARY 1948
Jerusalem, 1830 hours, Urban. Hassan Mohammed Shukri
of Jerusalem (28) was admitted to the Government Hospital
with a bullet wound which he sustained in the Christian
Quarter of the Old City. His condition is reported to be not
serious.
CO 537/3856
19 FEBRUARY 1948
Haifa. 1930 hours, Urban. In Silesian Street, Anton Mahad
(16) of Allenby Road was shot by unknown persons. He was
removed to the Government Hospital, Haifa, where his condition
is reported serious.
CO 537/3856
19 FEBRUARY 1948
Galilee. 2100 hours, Acre. A pumping station near Bassa
village was attacked by Jews armed with automatic weapons.
The attack was replied to by village guards, and the Jews
made off in the direction of Hanita Colony. No damage or
casualties resulted.
CO 537/3856
19 FEBRUARY 1948
Haifa, 2230 hours. At Shell Bridge, Joseph Spritser, driver
of W.D. three-ton Dodge truck No. 5679336 belonging to 438
Company R.A.S.C., was held up by three armed Jews who
stole his vehicle.
CO 537/3856
19 FEBRUARY 1948
Outside Egged bus Station, Jerusalem. Irgun Z'vai Leumi
shot 2 British soldiers killing one and wounding other.
WO 275/64
20 FEBRUARY 1948
Jerusalem. 0257 hours, Urban. An explosion occurred in
an Arab house, near the Park Lane Hotel, which had been
damaged previously. No casualties have been reported.
CO 537/3856
20 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 0930 hours, Tel Aviv. A party of ten armed Jews
entered the Government Veterinary Laboratory at 5, Miqve
Israel Street and stated that they were members of the Irgun
Z'vai Leumi and had come to take away instruments which
they understood were to be shipped to the United Kingdom.
They stole a microscope, some small weights and a quantity
of office equipment, and also robbed an employee of LP. 10.
CO 537/3856
20 FEBRUARY 1948
Haifa, 1100 hours. In Nazareth Street, an unidentified
Arab was shot and killed by unknown persons.
CO 537/3856
20 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 1345 hours, Rehovoth. At kilo 45 on the
RarnlelAqir road, near Kefar Bilu, an Arab 'bus was fired
upon by unknown persons, and the following casualties
resulted: Seriously Injured - Zakiya bint Ibrahim Sharabi
(30). Not Serious - Abdul A'al Mohammed Ibrahim (9);
Ahmed Khalil Zeidoun (40); Mohammed ibn Mohammed
Abdulla (40); Khalil Khamis Abu Haleleh (35). All of Yazur
village. The following persons are still missing: Hassan Saleh
Omar Ali, Hassan Mohammed Ed Shan'i, both of Yazur.
CO 537/3856
20 FEBRUARY 1948
1500 hours, Arab truck shot up at kilo 17.2 Arabs killed.
WO 261/573
20 FEBRUARY 1948
Haifa, 1700 hours. Mortars were discharged by Jews in the
Hadar Hacannel area at Arab houses in Iraq Street and
Stanton Street. Some of the missiles fell in Eastern Railway
Station and the Suq area. Two bombs landed near the
perimeter fence of District Police Headquarters, one wounding
an Arab T.A.C. whilst a second, which failed to explode,
was detonated by police without casualties or damage. A third
bomb fell on the roof of a police building.
Heavy fire was exchanged between the Arab and Jewish quarters and continued until 1830 hours. The following casualties have been reported.
From mortar bomb at Eastern Gate area of Haifa Suq: Dead - El Haj Suleiman Ibrahim El Hawa of Haifa; Fahid Mahmoud Abu Shuweib (35) of Haifa. Seriously Injured - No. 13143 T.A.C. Ahmed Hassan Saleh of Port and Marine. Slightly Injured - Mohammed Abed El Hai (26) of Beita; Mohammed Suleiman Eissa of Haifa (sent home after treatment).
Outside Police Headquarters: Not Serious - No. 371
T.A.C. Izzat Ibrahim Suleiman. From bullet wounds in Iraq
Street: Dead - Abdul Karim Awas of Syria. Not Serious -
Tewfik Ahmed Daqqour (22) of Haifa. Admitted to Amin
Hospital -conditions not serious: 32 injured Arabs.
CO 537/3856
20 FEBRUARY 1948
Haifa, 1800 hours. Near Qurdani Camp, Nimr Ali Khalil
Ibrahim Jourani (22), of Arab El Gbawarina, was shot dead
by unknown persons.
CO 537/3856
20 FEBRUARY 1948
1915 hours, Jews opened mortar fire from high ground,
Hadar. Bombs fell on police Headquarters Stanton Street,
Allenby road, and dock area, 3 Arabs dead, and 37 Arabs
injured.
WO 261/573
20 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 21 30 hours, Jaffa. Abdul Mahdi El Azzar (23) of
Jebeliya Quarter was shot and killed by Jewish snipers.
CO 537/3856
20 FEBRUARY 1948
Jews attacked Yazur under cover of rifle, LMG and 2"
mortars and blew up ice factory. 1 ice factory destroyed. 1
Arab killed.
WO 261/573
21 FEBRUARY 1948
Haifa. 0220 hours, Urban. At the junction of Allenby Road
and Jaffa Road, No. 87323 Gnr, Seaton K.G. of the 226180
L.A.H. Regiment, R.A. was found dead by troops of the
Airborne Regiment. He had been shot in the chest. His Sten
gun, No. SC18349 was missing. The body was removed to
the B.M.H., Haifa.
CO 537/3856
21 FEBRUARY 1948
Galilee. 1200 hours, Nazareth. An Arab taxi proceeding
from Haifa to Nazareth was fired upon near Kefar Imal by a
party of approximately 20 Jews armed with T.S.M.C.'s. The
driver was killed instantly, and two passengers were
wounded. The Jews made off in the direction of Beit Sharim
Colony. The dead and injured were removed to the E.M.M.S.
Hospital, Nazareth, by the police. The taxi was also brought
to Nazareth. Particulars of the casualties are as follows: 1)
Rahid Khalil Abu Toubeh (25) of Nazareth - dead; 2) No.
13755 TAC Nasmeh Mohammed Mustafa (25) of Nazareth
- not serious; 3) Mohammed Moghrabi (29) of Nazareth -
slight.
CO 537/3856
21 FEBRUARY 1948
Gaza. Noon. Mohammed Abdul Rahman Mikeid of
Hamama village was shot and wounded in the left side on the
village lands; condition not serious. Witnesses state that
Mikeid was fired upon by one of the occupants of a Jewish
arrnoured car which approached from the direction of Isdud.
CO 537/3856
21 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 1400 hours, Tel Aviv. In Mea Shearim Street, No.
3096 PIConstable Josef Albahari was slightly injured in the
side by a bullet which came from the direction of the Manshieh
Quarter. He was discharged after treatment at the firstaid
post.
CO 537/3856
21 FEBRUARY 1948
Galilee. Between 1635 and 1730 hours, Safad. Light
machine gun and rifle fire broke out between the Jewish and
Arab quarters of Safad. Mohammed Kadi Sheikh Kanam (8)
of Safad was admitted to the Government Hospital, suffering
from bullet wounds. His condition is reported to be serious.
It is believed that he was shot in the Arab Suq.
CO 537/3856
21 FEBRUARY 1948
Haifa, 2200 hours. Near Acre Gate, Khalid Sharif
Mohammed (20) of Acre Gate was shot by unknown persons;
condition not serious.
CO 537/3856
21 FEBRUARY 1948
3 Arabs killed and 37 injured when mortar bombs landed
on and near Police Headquarters, Stanton Street, Haifa.
WO 275/64
22 FEBRUARY 1948
Galilee. 0430 hours, Samakh. Three unknown persons
travelling in a car from the direction of Affikim alighted in
the Manshieh Quarter of Samakh. They were later seen to
re-enter the car and return in the direction of Affikim. Shortly
afterwards, an explosion occurred which caused damage
estimated at L.P. 200 to three Arab-owned houses. Firing also
broke out. No casualties have been reported.
CO 537/3856
22 FEBRUARY 1948
Galilee. 0700 hours, Acre. Near kilo 10 on the
NahariyalTarshiha road, Ahmed Hussein Abu Ubmadi (65)
of Tarshiha was shot in the legs by an unknown person using
an automatic weapon from a prepared position. He was
removed to Government Hospital, Haifa, where it was found
that both legs were broken. His condition is serious.
CO 537/3856
22 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 0800 hours, Tel Aviv. A number of armed Jews in
military uniforms blocked all approaches to Barclay's Bank
in Allenby Road, while another party of Jews entered the
bank. Police arrived, and with the assistance of the public
drove the Jews off after an exchange of fire. Nothing was
stolen and there was no damage to property, but Shmuel
Abrahamovitz (73) was shot in the head and seriously injured.
He was removed to the Hadassah Hospital. Attackers are
believed to be members of the Stern Gang.
CO 537/3856
22 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 0830-09 12 hours, Jaffa. Jewish snipers in the Migdan
Chocolate factory in Assem Bey Road opened fire on
British and Arab Police Personnel manning a road block at
the approach to Jaffa. No police casualties.
CO 537/3856
22 FEBRUARY 1948
Haifa. 0900 hours, Urban. In Qishon Street, Rieya bint
Abdulla Krim (35) of Ibn Gabirol Street was shot dead by
unknown persons. Body removed to Government Hospital.
CO 537/3856
22 FEBRUARY 1948
Jerusalem. 1040 hours, Urban. Automatic fire was
directed at a military 15 cwt truck as it left Zone 'D', the
following casualties resulting: Dead-No. 141 1145 1 Private
Boulby of North Staffs Regiment (died in hospital); Not
Serious - Major Savage, an Army Chaplain.
CO 537/3856
22 FEBRUARY 1948
1100 hours, British soldier and padre shot at outside
Jewish Agency. 1 British soldier killed and 1 Padre wounded. ,
WO 261/573
22 FEBRUARY 1948
Jerusalem. 1119 hours, Urban. Near the Jewish Agency in
King George Avenue, automatic fire was directed at a Royal
Air Force 15 cwt truck, two occupants of the vehicle sustaining
bullet wounds from which they died in hospital. Dead:
No. 2281719 A.C.I. Allen, C.; No. 2298124 A.C.I.
Vanglden.
At 1136 hours, a police armoured car carrying personnel
investigating the incident was fired upon near the Jewish
Agency, and this fire was returned from several arrnoured
cars in the vicinity.
CO 537/3856
22 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 1130 hours, Jaffa. In Manshieh Quarter, Ali Abu
Adwan (35) of Manshieh Quarter was shot in the head by a
Jewish sniper firing from Tel Aviv. He died in the French
Hospital at 1430 hours.
CO 537/3856
22 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 1200 hours, Jaffa. At Tel Er Rish, Kassim
Mohammed Saleh (20) of Tel Er Rish was shot by a Jewish
sniper and died from his wounds upon admission to the
French Hospital.
CO 537/3856
22 FEBRUARY 1948
1230 hours, Arab bus fired on between Jaffa and Ramle.
2 Arabs wounded.
WO 261/573
22 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 1500 hours, Jaffa. Mohammed Othman Khalil
Boutanji (22) of Dura village was shot and slightly wounded
by unknown persons on Bassa lands. He was removed to the
Dajani Hospital.
CO 537/3856
22 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 1600 hours, Jaffa. In Manshieh Quarter, Amneh
bint Sulieman El Ashi (12) of Manshieh Quarter was shot in
the abdomen and seriously wounded by unknown persons.
She succumbed to her injuries at 2130 hours in the Dajani
Hospital.
CO 537/3856
22 FEBRUARY 1948
Gaza. 1630 hours, Beersheba. Whilst walking along the
BeershebaIAsluj road, towards Beersheba, F.P.C. Abdulla
La'afi of Mobile Police Unit, Beersheba, and his cousin,
Saleiman Mohammed Abu Rayash of Asluj area, were
stopped at kilo 95 by a party of Jews travelling in three trucks
who abducted Suleiman and drove off in the direction of Beit
Eshel Colony.
CO 537/3856
22 FEBRUARY 1948
Haifa, evening. Fathmi bint Hussein Ali of 20 Nazareth
Road reported to police that her husband, Ahmed Mustafa
Abu Salim, and a second Arab of Burqa village, Nablus
sub-district, known as Ahmed, had been abducted by a party
of Jews between Hawassa and Neve Sha'anan. No further
details are known.
CO 537/3856
22 FEBRUARY 1948
2 houses demolished by Jews at Samlah level crossing
20532372.2 houses destroyed.
WO 261/573
22 FEBRUARY 1948
Military jeep fired on by Jews in Romema Quarter,
Jerusalem; Officer and wife and one warrant officer
wounded.
WO 261/573
22 FEBRUARY 1948
Suffolk truck blown up by mine (probably Stern) in
Romema Quarter, Jerusalem. Two occupants wounded and
taken to Wallach clinic. Jew fired through window of clinic,
killing one and wounding other.
WO 261/573
22 FEBRUARY 1948
Mortar bombs in Musrara Quarter, Jerusalem. Casualties:
3 Arabs killed; 1 seriously, and 1 slightly, injured. IrgunZ'vai
Leumi probably responsible.
WO 261/573
22 FEBRUARY 1948
Highland Light Infantry truck on way to assist Jews on
Mount Scopus blown up by electric mine between Italian
Hospice and Mea Shearim Police Station, Jerusalem. Casualties:-
5 British soldiers killed and 6 seriously injured. Stern
responsible,
WO 275/64
22 FEBRUARY 1948
Military jeep fired on by Jews in Romema Quarter,
Jerusalem. Officer and wife and one warrant officer wounded.
WO 275/64
22 FEBRUARY 1948
British Constable shot and seriously wounded in King
George Avenue, Jerusalem, by Stern.
WO 275/64
23 FEBRUARY 1948
Gaza, 0915 hours. At a point two kilos south of Barbar
Camp on the main MajdalIGaza road, two military dispatch
riders were fired on by unknown persons. Neither was hit, but
one of them, in swerving to avoid the bullets, crashed and was
injured. He was removed to the military hospital, Beer
Yaacov; his condition is not known.
CO 537/3856
23 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 0930 hours, Jaffa. In the Jabaliya Quarter, Hassan
Hussein Saleh (3 1) of Jabaliya was wounded in the right hand
by a bullet from the direction of Bat Yam brewery. He was
slightly injured and discharged after treatment at the Govemment
Hospital, Jaffa.
CO 537/3856
23 FEBRUARY 1948
Haifa, 1050 hours. Near the Iraq Petroleum Company
terminal on the sea shore, a number of Arab fishermen were
fired on by a party of four armed Jews. No casualties have
been reported,
CO 537/3856
23 FEBRUARY 1948
Lydda. 1515 hours, Jaffa. In Jaffa Port, Abed Abdullah
Halabi (30) of Jaffa was shot and slightly wounded in the leg
by unknown persons. He was removed to the Government
Hospital. His condition is not serious.
CO 537/3856
23 FEBRUARY 1948
Jerusalem. 2035 hours, Urban. Automatic fire was
directed at military positions in the Old City by Jews in the
Jewish Quarter. Military returned fire. No casualties have
been reported.
CO 537/3856
23 FEBRUARY 1948
Haifa, 2235 hours. Near the Eldorado Cafe in Pine Road,
Central Camel, a military jeep was fired upon by the occupants
of a vehicle travelling in the opposite direction, and
the following casualties resulted: No. 14045061 Signalman
Lane, condition serious; No. 1903681 1 Signalman Cottab,
condition slight. Both men were removed to the B.M.H.,
Haifa.
CO 537/3856
23 FEBRUARY 1948
Shortly after dusk several masked Jewish terrorists broke
into the Wallach hospital, Jerusalem, where two British
wounded policemen were lying in bed. The terrorists shot
both, killing one and seriously injuring the other before
running away and vanishing.
At the same time other Jewish terrorists broke into a
Hadassah clinic, also in Jerusalem, where they killed another
British policeman, a patient in the clinic.
United Nations Security Council Official Records,
Supplements - 1948.
23 FEBRUARY 1948
Arab bus attacked near Beit Jirja. Casualties:- 3 Arabs
killed, 2 seriously injured.
WO 275/64
23 FEBRUARY 1948
Military vehicle blown up outside Syrian Orphanage,
Jerusalem. 1 Officer and 2 British soldiers wounded. Stern
probably responsible.
WO 275/64
24 FEBRUARY 1948
Samaria. 0200 hours, Jenin. Abed Hassan Mahmoud and
Tewfik Hassan Abdul Khader, both of Wadi Musmus, were
travelling on a truck from Lajjun to their home when, at
Masharifa village, they encountered a pick-up and a truck
parked blocking the road and manned by persons in military
uniform, believed to be Jews. A rifle which Mahmoud was
carrying was taken from him by the persons manning the
block, and he was shot and seriously wounded. The robbers
then made off in the direction of Karkur in the two vehicles.
CO 537/3856
Go to part 4