Coexisting with the “Palestinians”

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bjoined them, shooting at the Jews. In the first attack, thirteen bJews were killed, and the looting and pillaging spread to other bareas of the city. Gradually, the mob focused on the center of bZionism in the city, Bet Ha’Olim (Immigrant House).

bIn their simple naiveté and belief that Arabs and Jews bcould coexist in peace, the Zionists had acquired a large, two- bstory building in the all-Arab Ajemi section of Jaffa. At the time bthere were about one hundred new immigrants in the building bthat was the symbol of Jewish immigration. So great was the con- bfidence of the Jews in their ability to live in peace with their neigh- bbors that they had no weapons of any kind. After all, this was not bCzarist Russia. This was the Land of Israel, the land to which the bJews had come to escape pogroms.

bAround 1:00 P.M. the mob began to gather. Pioneers stand- bing in the street were stoned and beaten. One Arab attempted to bthrow a primitive homemade bomb, but it blew up in his hands band he was killed. This only infuriated the mob, which began to bapproach the building. The Jews ripped iron posts from the gate band blocked the entrance to the front and side yards. They beat boff the Arabs’ first attack, and several Arabs were carried away bby their comrades. It appeared that despite the huge mob, the bJews would be able to defend themselves.

bAt 2:00 P.M., the watchmen on the roof reported that several bpolicemen were approaching. A general sigh of relief arose, until bthe police—Arabs—arrived. They suddenly began shooting at bthe Jews, and two grenades were thrown into the courtyard, kill- bing and wounding several of them. According to The Book of the bHaganah, the attack was led by the head of the prison, Hana bBurdkush, a member of a “respectable” Christian Arab family. bThe police burst into the yard, shouting to the mob: “What are byou waiting for? Kill them all!”

bTheir spirits broken, most of the Jews attempted to flee. bThe males who were not fortunate enough to escape were brutal- bly murdered. Several women pleaded with a policeman to save bthem. He took them into an alley, stripped them of their valu- bables, and tried to rape one of them. When silence descended on bthe building, thirteen were dead and twenty-six-wounded, and bfor the rest of the day, Arabs looted Jewish stores and houses. bExcept for the language, the clothing, and the palm trees, it bmight very well have been Kishinev.