Haganah ('The Defense') 1936 ...the revolt of the Palestinian
Arab masses in 1936 made Berlin re-think the implications of
their pro-Zionist policies. Intense unrest had been aroused in
October 1935 by the discovery of weapons in a cement cargo bound
for Tel Aviv, and the situation became feverish in November when
Shaykh Izz al-Din al-Qassam, a popular Muslim preacher, took to
the hills with a guerrilla band. British troops soon killed him,
but his funeral developed into a passionate demonstration. The
crisis dragged on for months before it finally exploded on the
night of 15 April 1936, when a remnant of Qassam’s band stopped
traffic on the Tulkarm road, robbing travellers and killing two
Jews. Two Arabs were slain in reprisal the next night. The
funeral of the Jews turned into a right-wing Zionist
demonstration and the crowd started marching on Arab Jaffa. The
police opened fire, four Jews were shot and, again, Arabs were
attacked on the streets of Tel Aviv in retaliation. A counter-
march soon started for T