Battle For Control Begins As British Leave

Chronicle (Levin), 22 April 1948, Page 5

Battle For Control Begins As British Leave

(NXP.A.-

tReuter,

Co&yrtght)

Received Thursday, 10.40 a,n\, JERUSALEM, April 21. Martial law will prevail in whatever axeas of Palesfine neeessary to cQmplete the" British Army evacuation between May 15, when the mandate ends, anh August 1, the latest date for the completion of the British withdrawal, according to an announcement by the British military commander, Lieut,General MacmiUan. An Army spokesman said the ruiing meant that Genei'al Macmillan would serve virtually as a military governor in some areas. Su-rprise at the British decisicn to leave the whole of Haifa except their headquarters and the port area caused immediate tension, and already 'a battle has begun for -control of the .city. As the British ,troops prepar.ed - to leave their posts, the Jews reacted quickly and armed men and Jewish armoured cars patrolled the streets. British tanks fired on Jewish rnipers on Garmel Road," which is the link between British -headquarters on Mount Carmel and Haifa port area. The Jews are -expected to ask the Arabs to evacuate Haifa' and also Tiberias. Those Arabs who remain will be granted full citizenship rights, but will have to surrender all arms. The Arabs may be forced to accept the evacuation proposals, beeause the Jews in Haifa outnumber them by four to one and Haganah men occupy all the heights overlooking the Arab sections. M. Jacques de Renier. delegat.e of the Red Cross International Committee in Palestine, announcsd ihe establishment of two zones in Jerusalem to aceommodate 15,000 refugee women and children should large-scale Arab-Jewish fighting occur in the city. The Jews and Arabs have agreed to apply and respect . the Geneva

Conventions m any nostilities. Arab guerrillas attacked a police armoured car transferring six Syrians from Jerusalem cen.tr al prison to Aere prison. The guerrillas stole the armoured car and released the Syrians, who had been sentenced to four year?:' o-a0l for carrying arms in the Arab Liberafcion Army.