ARABS RING PALESTINE

Chronicle (Levin), 16 December 1947, Page 5

ARABS RING PALESTINE

(N.Z.P.A.-

-Reuter

Further Widespread Clashes Reported

. CmyriQht)

Received Tuesday, 9.40 a.m. LONDON, Dec. 15. Arab armies tightened the ring of steel round Palestine as Arab and Jewish clashes continue, report Agency dispatches from Jerusalem. Lebanon elosed its frontiers with a "shoot to kill" order. Except for one frontier control post, Syria's "People's Army" of volunteer's moved to the shores of Galilee. Transjordan Bedouins formed che eastern wall of the ring. Arabs attacked Jewish lorries carrying food near Maayan -Baruch and killed a Jewish policeman. An explosion wrecked an Arab house in Tel Ariss, Haganah claimed it was a strongpoint which directed Arab fire during a sniper's skirmish with the Haganah post at Holon, south of Tel Aviv. Jews attacked a police truck convoy in Jerusalem, when grenades aji'd machine guns wounded four members of the Arab Transjordan frontier force, says Reuter's Jerusalem correspondent. Fire destroyed one truck. It is officially announced that four Jews dreSsed in army uniforms threw Molotov cocktails and fired on a bus at E1 Ain and killed one and wounded seven Arabs. The Jewish community and Haganah once again face the issue of whether they really want to curb ihe Arab bands by answering attaeks or whether to remain Supine so as to avoid Arab retaliation. The test of Jewish strategy will come at Tel Aviv on Monday when the British police depart.