Although the Irgun continued activities such as these, following Rosenberg's orders, they were greatly curtailed. Furthermore, in fear of the British threat of the death sentence for anyone found carrying a weapon, all operations were suspended for eight months. However, opposition to this policy gradually increased. In April, 1938, responding to the killing of six Jews, Betar members from the Rosh Pina Brigade went on a reprisal mission, without the consent of their commander, as described by historian Avi Shlaim: On 21 April 1938, after several weeks of planning, he and two of his colleagues from the Irgun (Etzel) ambushed an Arab bus at a bend on a mountain road near Safad. They had a hand grenade, a gun and a pistol. Their plan was to destroy the engine so that the bus would fall off the side of the road and all the passengers would be killed. When the bus approached, they fired at it (not in the air, as Mailer has it) but the grenade lobbed by Ben Yosef did not detonate. The bus with its screaming and terrified passengers drove on.
Although the Irgun continued activities such as these following Rosenberg's orders they were greatly curtailed Furthermore in fear of the British threat of the death sentence for anyone found carrying a weapon all operations were suspended for eight months However opposition to this policy gradually increased In April 1938 responding to the killing of six Jews Betar members from the Rosh Pina Brigade went on a reprisal mission without the consent of their commander as described by historian Avi Shlaim On 21 April 1938 after several weeks of planning he and two of his colleagues from the Irgun (Etzel) ambushed an Arab bus at a bend on a mountain road near Safad They had a hand grenade a gun and a pistol Their plan was to destroy the engine so that the bus would fall off the side of the road and all the passengers would be killed When the bus approached they fired at it (not in the air as Mailer has it) but the grenade lobbed by Ben Yosef did not detonate The bus with its screaming and terrified passengers drove on