HC Deb 02 June 1937 vol 324 cc1000-1
34. Colonel Wedgwood

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can give any information as to the issue by the Jerusalem police of a communique advertising that the Grand Mufti had saved some Jews from a crowd anxious to kill them; and why they issued so unusual a communique?

Mr. Ormsby-Gore

In a telegraphic report which I received yesterday the High Commissioner states that the evidence regarding this incident is conflicting and cannot as yet be reconciled, but that the facts appear to be as follows:

The Mufti was returning via Wadi Joz to St. Stephen's Gate at about 8 p.m. on Saturday when he noticed a car containing Jews standing in the road. The Mufti states that his car companion reported to him that he observed that one of the Jews who was in the car had a revolver. The Mufti, fearing an attempt on his life, instructed his servants to investigate who the occupants of this car were and whether one of them in fact had a revolver. It has not been established that any of the Jews were in actual possession of a revolver. There was no fracas and no one was injured and the respective parties of Jews and Arabs made their complaints to different police stations. Investigation was immediately commenced and is being continued. In a later telegram the High Commissioner reports that the police are fully satisfied that the occupants of the car had no intention of attacking anyone.

Colonel Wedgwood

May I ask why the police took the extraordinary step of issuing a communique on the subject; and why the Mufti has got a bodyguard?

Mr. Ormsby-Gore

It is probably necessary that he should have a bodyguard; and he has had one for some time. The communique was issued because most exaggerated rumours of incidents of this kind get about in Palestine, especially when leaders of either side are affected, as they did in relation to an incident at Jaffa, and they lead to outrages and difficulties.

Colonel Wedgwood

Why was this case selected for the communique; and why did the communique state that the Mufti saved the lives of the Jews?

Mr. Ormsby-Gore

That is not the point. The point is that unless you tell the people what has happened, most exaggerated rumours get about, especially when the leaders of either side are concerned.