Desperate Efforts To Stop War

Chronicle (Levin), 18 May 1948, Page 5

Desperate Efforts To Stop War

(N.Z.P.A,

—Reuter,

Moves Towarcjs Fresh Truce Fail

Copyright)

Received Tuesday, 11.25 a.m. LONDON, May 17.. . While the Arab High Committee claims that the Jews jn the Old City of Jerusalem have surrendered to the Arab forces, and that confused fighting continues throughout. Palestine, desperate efforts are being made, both in the Middle East apd at Lake Success to arrange a cessation of the war. A delegation from the Security Council Truce Commis-. sion, which visited Amman, saw King Abdullah and the Secretary-General of the Arab League, Azzam Pasha, but failed to obtain an agreement to fresh truce proposals.

M. Jean Nievwen, Belgian Consul-General in Palestine and chairman of the United Nations' Truce Commission, who has arrived at Amman, said that although the Jews in the Old City had surrendered to the Arabs, the Jews controlled most of the other sections of Jerusalem. Meanwhile, at Lake Success, the United States demanded that the Security Council order the immediate cessation of thc war in Palestine. The American resolution declared that a threat to peace and a breach of the peace actually exist in Palestine. In Cairo the Arab Higher Committee stated that the Jewish Agency approved the surrendel- of the Jews in the Oio' City to the "Holy Jihad" (Pa! estinian Arab volunteers). The Arab conditions were firstly, that the Jews surrendeltheir weapons, secondly, that all Jewish men become war prisoners and, thirdly, that the women and children be handed to the International Red Cross.