HC Deb 25 July 1938 vol 338 cc2713-4
82 and 83. Mr. Thorne

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) whether he can give any information in connection with the throwing of incendiary bombs at three huts near Haifa, Palestine, where father, mother and child were burned alive, and in another hut a woman and child were killed; and can he say whether anyone was arrested;

(2) whether he can give any information in connection with the murder of five people in the Jewish settlement of Kiryat Haroshet, Palestine; and what were the ages of the people murdered?

Mr. M. MacDonald

With the hon. Member's permission I will answer these questions together, as they refer to the same incident.

Kiryat Haroshet is a straggling settlement lying at the extremity of a group of nine Jewish Settlements at the foot of the Carmel Hills. It was guarded by armed Jewish Supernumerary Police, when an Arab gang attacked it late on the night of 20th July. The attackers succeeded in setting fire to two huts; I have no information as to whether incendiary bombs were used for this purpose. In one of the huts a family of three was burnt and in the other a woman and child were shot. The ages of the persons killed were as follows: A man aged 33, two women 33 and 31, and two children 11 and 2. It is believed that casualties were inflicted upon the attackers before they retired.