December 1, 1947 Arab Violence in Jerusalem

On the second day of the strike an Arab mob broke into the old commercial center in Jerusalem, robbed and burned Jewish shops, stabbed or stoned their owners.  British police stood by without intervening.  Haganah dispatched a platoon with light arms to defend the center, but British forces, still regarding Haganah as an illegal organization, prevented it from going into action.         

Source: Lorch, Netanel The Edge of the Sword. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1961  (p. 56)