British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume I - Page 58. Historical Summary: October-November, 1939, The period of political Dormancy during the Early Years of the World War.

CHAPTER II.

5th October, 1939.

Forty-three Jews, wearing uniforms, were arrested while engaged in military manoeuvres and carrying rifles and bombs, and subsequently tried by a military court and sentenced to long periods of imprisonment. There followed Jewish demonstrations of protest and a two-hour general Jewish strike on 28th November, but no disorder.

18th November , 1939.

Thirty-eight Revisionist Jews, engaged in maneuvers and carrying arms, bombs, gelignite, etc., were arrested and subsequently sentenced by a military court to long terms of imprisonment. There were no adverse repercussions on local security conditions.

1940.

During the first two months of 1940, although Arab opinion was perturbed at a renewed influx of illegal immigrants and was increasingly critical of the delay in implementing the land sales clause of the Land Transfers Regulations, Arab/Jewish relations continued to improve, especially in the economic field, where the plight of the citrus industry caused by war conditions called for cooperation. Many of the Arab feuds which were the legacy of four years of disorder were liquidated at peace meetings and large numbers of the self-imposed Arab exiles, together with three members of the old Arab Higher Committee, returned to the country.

22nd January, 1940.

A search of the Jewish settlement of Ben Shemen revealed a hoard of arms and ammunition. Eleven Jews of the settlement were tried by military court, and eight of them convicted on 22nd April; the sentences, ranging from 7 to 3 years' imprisonment, were later substantially reduced by the G.O.C.

28th February, 1940.

The Land Transfers. Regulations" were published. Under these Regulations, which were designed to give effect to the policy set out in paragraphs 16 and 17 of the White Paper, certain areas were prescribed in which the transfer of land save to a Palestinian Arab is prohibited except in certain stated circumstances, others in which the transfer of land bv a Palestinian Arab save to a Palestinian Arab is subject to the discretion of the High Com-
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*Laws of 1940, Vol. II, page 327.

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