JEWS AND ARABS BEGIN TRUCE

Chronicle (Levin), 3 May 1948, Page 5

JEWS AND ARABS BEGIN TRUCE

Received Monday, 11 a.m. LONDON, May 2. _ Jews and Arabs at 4 p.m. local time, began a 48-hour truce in the Katamon quarter of Jerusalem ih accordance with the Government's demand. A British spokesman told the British United Press that the Government's threat of punitive action if Jews or Arabs advanced in Jerusalem applied only to the Katamon district on the Holy City's south-western outskirts. This was the only scene of fighting in Jerusalem today. The fight for the Katamon quarter has been going on for three days. The Government's statement said a cease fire had been called in Katamon so that negotiations could continue for a truce over all of Jerusalem, The Highland Light Infantry entered Katamon to enforce the truce and took up a line between factions. A Jewish Agency spokesman said that Haganah would not resist the British reinforcements. It is reliably estimated that British troops in Palestine total 20,000. Marine commandos are taking armoured strength to Haifa and at least one regiment is believed to have moved into the Jaffa-Tel Aviv area. Both Jews and Arabs made a series of thrusts at each other's lifelines today. The Jews blasted bridges in three places in fiouthern Palestine.