apr 15, 1936 - Tulkarm shooting

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On April 15, 1936, a violent incident occurred on the road between Anabta and Tulkarm in British Mandatory Palestine, marking a significant escalation in tensions. A group of Arabs, believed to be followers of Izz al-Din al-Qassam, set up a roadblock, stopping about 20 vehicles to demand arms and cash from the drivers. In the process, they separated and shot three Jewish individuals—two drivers and one passenger. Two of these individuals, Zvi Danenberg and Yisrael Hazan, subsequently died from their injuries, with Hazan dying immediately and Danenberg succumbing five days later. The attackers justified their actions by claiming they needed resources to continue al-Qassam's mission of opposing Jews and Britons in Palestine.

The incident quickly escalated into broader violence. The following day, in what appeared to be a retaliatory attack, two Arab laborers were killed near Petah Tikvah, an event that coincided with widespread protests and demonstrations at Hazan’s funeral in Tel Aviv. These protests were directed against the British administration and the ongoing Arab attacks, highlighting the communal tensions in the area.

This episode is widely regarded as a prelude to the 1936-1939 Arab revolt in Palestine. It set off a chain of events that led to what is known as The Bloody Day in Jaffa on April 19, 1936, further intensifying the Arab-Jewish conflict. In response to the growing unrest, British authorities implemented stringent measures, including reprisals and collective punishment, aimed at suppressing the insurgency. These measures included the destruction of property and food stocks and heavy censorship of Arab-language newspapers, although the Hebrew press remained less restricted and continued to report on these developments.

The 1936 Tulkarm shooting and its aftermath were indicative of the volatile and hostile environment in Mandatory Palestine, setting the stage for years of conflict and contributing to the historical narrative of the region.

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