Page 161 - big friday
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or the other must win, and that the Jews must be driven into the sea, but his wounded
friend seemed pessimistic about that possibility.
Further on in Jaffa, away from Tel Aviv and toward the great warehouses of its port,
I began to encounter some sign of life. The crowing of a cock, the first we had heard in
Jaffa, made us sharply aware of the complete silence of the abandoned, shuttered streets. In
the next block I saw a dog and further on, near the barred gates of the port where British
soldiers stood on guard, a few children played and some older Arabs hung around with a
donkey cart.
W ithin, the young Scot commanding officer […] told us that soldiers had shot eight
would-be looters one night and five the next, but had little trouble after that. […]
T he warehouses through which we walked did not seem to have much in them, but at
the very waterside… [s]ome 50 Arabs […] were loading flour on trucks. […] The British
authorities were letting them load lorries with flour for Nablus.
N ear this warehouse, along the waterfront houses, I first encountered the typical smells
of an oriental town, indicating that some people were still living there, and a nearby tavern
was open, but there were only three men inside. I was told that all fishing had ceased. A
sergeant said that one Arab fisherman informed him he could not go out because Hagana
submarines were lying in wait outside the Jaffa harbor.
O n the way back we heard the first and only shot, and some blocks away saw a white-
robed Arab running for cover. The soldier said he must be a looter […].
M y British friend said, "I think these Arabs probably scared themselves to death for fear
the Jews might do half as much to them in defeat as the Arabs would do to the Jews if the
positions were reversed."
I.F. Stone, PM, Thursday, May 13, 1948, pp. 10-11
Before the Declaration 159
friend seemed pessimistic about that possibility.
Further on in Jaffa, away from Tel Aviv and toward the great warehouses of its port,
I began to encounter some sign of life. The crowing of a cock, the first we had heard in
Jaffa, made us sharply aware of the complete silence of the abandoned, shuttered streets. In
the next block I saw a dog and further on, near the barred gates of the port where British
soldiers stood on guard, a few children played and some older Arabs hung around with a
donkey cart.
W ithin, the young Scot commanding officer […] told us that soldiers had shot eight
would-be looters one night and five the next, but had little trouble after that. […]
T he warehouses through which we walked did not seem to have much in them, but at
the very waterside… [s]ome 50 Arabs […] were loading flour on trucks. […] The British
authorities were letting them load lorries with flour for Nablus.
N ear this warehouse, along the waterfront houses, I first encountered the typical smells
of an oriental town, indicating that some people were still living there, and a nearby tavern
was open, but there were only three men inside. I was told that all fishing had ceased. A
sergeant said that one Arab fisherman informed him he could not go out because Hagana
submarines were lying in wait outside the Jaffa harbor.
O n the way back we heard the first and only shot, and some blocks away saw a white-
robed Arab running for cover. The soldier said he must be a looter […].
M y British friend said, "I think these Arabs probably scared themselves to death for fear
the Jews might do half as much to them in defeat as the Arabs would do to the Jews if the
positions were reversed."
I.F. Stone, PM, Thursday, May 13, 1948, pp. 10-11
Before the Declaration 159
