Evening star., 1946-11-02
Palestine ParaIyzed
By Arab Strike on
baIfour Declaration
BY The Assoeioted Press

JERUSALEM, Nov. 2. The
Holy Land was in a virtual state
of paralysis today as Jews paused
for their sabbath and Arabs en-
gagged in their traditional gen.
eral strike on the 10Th anniver-
sary Of Britain's Balfour decla-
ration favoring a national
home" in Palestine for Jews.
Streets of Jerusalem were almost
deserted. Shops were all closed,
taxicabs were out of sight and traffic
was scarce. The only pedestrians
were strollers in the balmy weather.
A troublesome undercurrent was
in both the Jewish and
Arab quarters.
Thousands of Arabs were eX-
pected in the old city today for a
possible mass meeting in the Mosque
areas. Police were taking extra
to prevent any process
sion developing.
Jewish Meetings Called.
Palestine Jews have been called
to strike from noon to 6 pm. tomor-
row and to hold mass meetings in
protest against yesterdays deporta-
ton to Cyprus of 1,279 Jewish refu-
gees taken off the ship San Dimitrio
as they were trying to enter the
country without permits.
The San Dimitrio, listing badly.
has been toWed to graveyard OF
illegal ships in Haifa harbor. Re-
ports that refugees resisted Brit
ish boarding party were denied to-
day by the officer of the party, who
said
There was not the slightest
trouble except a minor skirmish
when we took the first four of them
off at the dock, and that skirmish,
I am convinced, was tagged for the
benefit of you journalists and pho
tographers.'
The Jews were shipped to Cyprus
aboard the British vessels Ocean
Vigor and Empire Haywood.
STlke LdStS All lay.
Arabs planned their Lord Bal
four Day. strike for all day in
Palestine. where Jewish and Arab
demonstrations have heightened
tension this week, and for one hour
in Syria and Lebanon to the north.
Iraq to the east and Egypt to the
southwest.
"a general strike scheduled for
an hour in Damascus, Syria, shut
down shops, transport services
and other activities at 9 am.
The Moslem Brotherhood and
other sponsoring organizations
were on guard against breaches
of public order, and none was
reportedD
A Beyrouth dispatch reported the
general strike effective throughout
Lebanon Youth associations led a
big demonstration before the Par
lament Building this morning, with
banners declaring mo friendship
with the Anglo-Americans as long
as ZionisIn remains" and strong
guards were placed around the
British and American Legations and
institutes, the dispatch said
The Beyrouth press carried a
mourning proclamation and Presi-
dent Bechara ell Khoury's statement,
Palestine. 1t is the enemy of the
"Zionism is not the enemy only Of
Lebanese and Arab countries and
the whole of humanity
An hours general strike called
by the Moslem Brotherhood Asso-
citation was not effective in Cairo,
Egypt. Only a few shops closed,
most of them in the bazaar district.
British Army headquarters declared
Cairo out of bounds for troops on
leave. Egyptian police with steel
helmets and clubs, some of them
mounted, patrolled the streets.
The Balfour declaration was is
sued November 2, 1917, and later
embodied in the League of Nations
mandate under which Britain has
controlled Palestine since Septem-
ber %, 1923. 1t pledges the British
to "use their best efforts" to facili-
tate achievement of a Jewish ma
tional home in Palestine. but stipu-
lates that nothing shall be done
which may prejudice the civil and
religious rights of existing nom
Jewish communities in Palestine"
Graq's Foreign Ministry told
British and United States diplo-
mats in Bagdad yesterday the
declaration denied Palestines
Arabs the simplest political
rights"
Gts note requested that to-
days anniversary be the last "for
all Arabs and Moslems and that
the agony be ended by agree
ment to a solution which guar
antees right and justice for the
legal owners of Palestine
The demonstrations today and to-
morrow wind up week in which
five British soldiers have been killed
by bombs and mines. Yesterday
three masked gunmen robbed two
Tel Aviv office clerks of satchels
AiOlSll1S u11tiSSG S1A,VOU. O1AGy
sand Haifa Jews struck for two
hours and a half yesterday morning
to protest deportations.
An expected test of the legality Of
the British deportation policy was
instituted when the Palestinian
brother of Walter Frankenstein, a
San Dimitrio refugee, got writ of
habeas corpus for him in Palestine
Supreme Court.
The writ ordered the chief secre-
tary of the Palestine government,
British Army commander, attorney
general and police general inspector
to show cause why they were de-
tanning the refugee and why they
planned to deport him.
700 Jews Are Reported
Ordered Freed by British
LONDON, Nov. 2 lPl.-Authorita-
tive government quarters said yes