File 756/1917 Pt 2-3 ‘ARAB BULLETIN Nos 66-114’ [‎235r] (478/834)

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NOTES.
Syrians in England and King Husein.
The Syrian Community in Great Britain, at a meeting
presided over by Sir Mark Sykes, in July, sent a message of
gratitude to King Husein and his troops for their valiant stand
against the common oppressor of the Arabs. A spirit of self-
sacrifice was shown by the members of this small meeting, which
collected a sum of no less than £2,218. The King, in his reply,
says, “ Your noble resolution is a proof that you are emulating
the dignity and honour of your ancestors. I accept with
gratitude your munificent offering.” The King has given
£1,000 to the Jerusalem Moslem Benevolent Fund, and £600
to the fund for the relief of the refugees from east of the
Jordan. Emir Feisal, for whose personal use £500 was given
by a single donor, has also allotted this sum to the latter fund.
The Plight of Madeha.
At the end of July, twenty fugitives from Madeba arrived in
Jericho. They report that a systematic attempt to denude the
town of all its materials was to have been made by Turkish
soldiers, who were luckily recalled before they could carry out
their instructions. The unhappy inhabitants are between two
fires : if the Turks hold the town, everything is requisitioned ;
and if the garrison be withdrawn, they are at the mercy of
any numerically superior tribe with whom they are at feud.
To make their lot even harder, the Turks have ordered the
Arabs under their influence, to kill anyone who attempts
to cross to the British lines. The worst fears of these
refugees have been realised. According to' a later report by
an agent, Abu ’1-Ghanam, one of the most influential sheikhs of
the Belqa, has joined hands with the Zebn section of the Beni
Sakhr, in an attack against the Madeba Christians. The latter
can only muster about three hundred and fifty rifles, and it
is unlikely that they will be able to resist this formidable con
centration of Arabs, who have an intimate knowledge of the
whole terrain. In the opinion of a Mnkhtar of Madeba, one
Khafif el-Khuri, who has reached Jerusalem, the Turks care for
none of these things ; but it would appear that one at least of
the local sheikhs—Abu Sitta of the Awazim—is deterred from
taking part in this expedition by a wholesome dread of British
reprisals. Emir Feisal is endeavouring to bring pressure to bear
on the two turbulent tribes.
Dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. Traffic between Eritrea and A sir.
force for over two years, has been provisionally relaxed so far
as trade between Eritrea and Jeizan is concerned. In the opinion
of experts, the blockade has fulfilled its purpose, and the time has
come when it is possible to meet the wishes of the Italian
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