Chancellor, Sir John Herbert, High Commissioner. Minshar [“Proclamation” - Emergency Decree of the British High Commissioner concerning the 1929 Riots].

On August 23rd, 1929 an Arab attack was attempted against the Jews in Jerusalem, following a ten-month buildup of tension over the disputed right of Jews to pray at the Western Wall. The outbreak of violence subsequently spread to other parts of the country and on the following day, Arabs murdered some seventy Jews in Hebron. In the week of bloody violence that ensued, there were attacks in Tel Aviv, Haifa and Safed. Before the week had passed, large detachments of British troops were brought in and many were arrested (both Jews and Arabs), before order was restored. In this Emergency Decree, the British High Commissioner for Palestine, Sir John Herbert Chancellor, announces that those who perpetrated the violence will be severely punished. Despite Sir John’s assurances, the subsequent Shaw Commission decided the cause of the riots had been Arab feelings of animosity consequent upon the frustration of their national aspirations and fear for their future. Thus the Commission proposed and subsequently enacted, restriction of Jewish migration to Palestine and restrictions on the purchase of land by Jews.