UN Palestine Commission – Bombing of synagogue in Tel Aviv – Cablegram from Acting Mayor of Tel Aviv

Lake Success, New York

16 February 1948

UNITED NATIONS PALESTINE COMMISSION

CABLEGRAM FROM MR. PERELSON

ACTING MAYOR OF TEL AVIV

The following cablegram has been received by the Secretary-General from Mr. Perelson, Acting Mayor of Tel Aviv

“(THE FOLLOWING CABLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE DAILY CABLE BOOKS) TRYGVE LIE

ON THE NINTH FEBRUARY TROOPS BLEW UP ONE OF THE OLDEST SYNAGOGUES IN TELAVIV ON A MERE UNJUSTIFIED ONESIDED ALLEGATION WITHOUT PREVIOUSLY ELUCIDATING THE CASE WITH US. FOR NOW SEVENTY DAYS TELAVIV HAS BEEN SUBJECTED TO CONSTANT SNIPING BY ARABS WITHOUT THE AUTHORITIES HAVING PREVENTED THIS. INSTEAD THE ARMY HAS TAKEN TO BLOWING UP JEWISH HOUSES SERVING AS OUTPOST DEFENCES ON OUTSKIRTS OF TELAVIV BARING WHOLE SECTIONS TO ARAB SNIPING. THE BITTERNESS OF THE POPULATION OF TELAVIV IS REACHING ITS LIMITS AND THE INFLUENCE OF THE HEADS OF THE COMMUNITY IN DEMANDING CONTINUED RESTRAINT IS BEING SORELY TAXED. WE PROTEST AGAINST THIS POLICY OF THE AUTHORITIES AIMED AT PARALYSING THE DEFENCES OF THE JEWISH POPULATION THEREBY VIRTUALLY FRUSTRATING THE DECISIONS OF UNO. WE ASK THAT STEPS BE TAKEN TO STOP THIS IN TIME

PERELSON ACTING MAYOR”