[8] The Jewish Telegraph Agency reported the attacks amidst an outbreak of Arab violence against Jews on November 30, such as the killing of Moshe Goldman at an anti-partition demonstration in Haifa, under the headline "Six Jews Killed As Arabs React to Partition; Higher Committee Calls General Strike".

[9] However New Historian Benny Morris challenged this narrative, arguing that the causes were unclear and theorizing that it was potentially a retaliation for the Shubaki family assassination, the killing of five Palestinian Arabs by Lehi near Herzliya, ten days' prior to the incident (who were in turn taking revenge because one of the members of the family had informed to the British about LEHI activities).

[8][10][11] According to Morris, was the majority view of the Haganah Intelligence Service that the primary motive of the attackers was retaliation for the Shubaki killings; this was supported by an Arab flyer posted shortly after on walls in Jaffa.

However, he also states that it is telling that Israelis and their network of Arab collaborators do not provide information about the Palestinian gang supposedly responsible for the attack.

[5] According to Israeli investigative journalist Ronen Bergman, the attack was committed by forces loyal to Palestinian rebel Hasan Salama.