The Attack
December 1947
In December 1947, during the three-day Arab riots that swept Jerusalem after the UN vote on partition, journalist Asher Lazar, a correspondent for Haaretz, was brutally attacked on Princess Mary Avenue. Stabbed repeatedly in the stomach and back by rioters, he was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. The assault was part of a wave of violence that left Jewish shops looted, homes burned, and dozens injured.
From his hospital bed, Asher made a defining stand: when men came boasting of revenge killings in his name, he threw them out. Though deeply committed to his people, he would not allow his suffering to be used to justify more bloodshed. That moment of violence changed the trajectory of his life and, in many ways, the path of his family. Remembered both for his reporting and for his moral clarity, this site honors Asher Lazar’s work and the legacy of resilience he left behind.
The Attack
A Jewish reporter, Asher Lazar (on ground), is attacked by a group of Arab rioters in front of a radio shop in Jerusalem on the first day of the three-day Arab general strike in Palestine.
The Flight
Lazar’s attackers taking flight when they notice would-be rescuers approaching. The attack on Lazar was only one of many Arab bands on isolated Jewish passers-by during the rioting.
The Rescue
An unidentified man is the first of the rescuers to reach Lazar’s side. News reports of the attack said Lazar, a Reuter’s correspondent was stabbed by his Arab assailants.
Reports in International Media
