Editing Irgun (section)

===First operations against the British===
The publishing of the MacDonald [[White Paper of 1939]] brought with it new edicts that were intended to lead to a more equitable settlement between Jews and Arabs. However, it was considered by some Jews to have an adverse effect on the continued development of the Jewish community in Palestine. Chief among these was the prohibition on selling land to Jews, and the smaller quotas for Jewish immigration. The entire Yishuv was furious at the contents of the White Paper. There were demonstrations against the "Treacherous Paper", as it was considered that it would preclude the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine.

Under the temporary command of [[Hanoch Kalai]], the Irgun began sabotaging strategic infrastructure such as electricity facilities, radio and telephone lines. It also started publicizing its activity and its goals. This was done in street announcements, newspapers, as well as the underground radio station [[Kol TSion HaLokhemet|Kol Zion HaLochemet]]. On August 26, 1939, the Irgun killed [[Ralph Cairns]], a British police officer who, as head of the Jewish Department in the [[Palestine Police]], had been closing the net on [[Avraham Stern]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Free Jerusalem: Heroes, Heroines and Rogues Who Created the State of Israel|authorlink=Zev Golan|last=Golan|first=Zev|page=144|year=2003|publisher=Devora Publishing Co.|isbn=1930143540}}</ref> Irgun had accused him of the [[torture]] of a number of its members.<ref>{{cite book | last = Bell | first = John Bowyer | title = Terror Out of Zion | publisher = Transaction Publishers | year = 1996 | page = 48 | isbn = 9781560008705}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last = Ben-Yehuda | first = Nahman | title = Political Assassinations by Jews: A Rhetorical Device for Justice | publisher = State University of New York Press | year = 1993 | page = 155 | isbn = 0791411664}}</ref> Cairns and Ronald Barker, another British police officer, were killed by a remotely detonated Irgun [[landmine]].<ref>"Mine Explosion In Jerusalem." Our Correspondent, ''The Times'' [London, England] 28 Aug. 1939: 12. The Times Digital Archive.</ref>

The British increased their efforts against the Irgun. As a result, on August 31 the British police arrested members meeting in the Irgun headquarters. On the next day, September 1, 1939, World War II broke out.