File 756/1917 Pt 2-3 ‘ARAB BULLETIN Nos 66-114’ [‎138r] (284/834)

unconditional surrender of the eldest son of Haji Saad, a dangerous
rogue named Karim. If these terms were refused, the town was
to be blockaded and the water supply cut off after opportunity
had been afforded to the well-disposed Ulema to withdraw to
Kufah. The fine was paid on the appointed day, January 31,
but Karim took to his heels and the sheikhs were excused from
producing him after giving a signed assurance that he had left.
He also has been outlawed. As soon as the incident was closed
by the payment of the fine, a British A.P.O. took up his
residence in Nejef. The allowance hitherto paid to the leading
sheikhs will be discontinued, and a proposal for the organisation
of an efficient police service is under consideration. The A.P.O.
is at present lodging in a house within the town, the property of
the Kiliddar, but, with a small personal guard, he will
ultimately reside in a khan which stands a few hundred yards
beyond the east gate of the city on the Kufah road. This 'khan
was built by Haji Atiyah, mainly, it is said, out of the ill-gotten
gains which he had accumulated after the abandonment of Nejef
by the Turks, and was dedicated by him in an inscription
composed in English, and surmounted by a representation of the
Union Jack, to the victorious army of Great Britain.
PALESTINE LETTER.
Ajjril 10, 1918.
News and rumours of the German offensive on the Western
Front have had inevitably some effect on native feeling in
Palestine, and cause credence to be given to those malcontent
elements, which are in the habit of prophesying that our
occupation is to be shortlived and of advising the continued
concealment of arms. On the other hand the Turkish Minister
at Berne, a little more than a month ago, was evidently of
opinion that his country cannot hope to hold Palestine again on
the old terms ; for, among other peace provisions adumbrated by
him, appears Home-Rule for that region.
An uneasy impression, created by the transitory nature of
our recent operations east of the Jordan, has also to be reckoned
with. Measures have been taken, however, to reassure the
population on this latter head, by explaining the objective of
those operations, and the Salt refugees in Jerusalem seem less
affected by their exile than might have been expected. Besides
the Armenian element among them, a considerable proportion is
composed of families which were short of the means of sub
sistence and anxious in any case to reach some place where food
is more abundant. It is proposed to compensate all according
to the measure of their ultimate losses when a definite settlement
in regard to Salt has been arrived at. Meanwhile it is a