Threat To Reduce Jewish Quarter Desperate Plight Of 100,000 Civilians

Chronicle (Levin), 21 May 1948, Page 5

Threat To Reduce Jewish Quarter Desperate Plight Of 100,000 Civilians

(N.Z.P.A.-

-Reuter,

Copyright)

Received Friday, 10.35 a.m. LONDON, May 20. _ ' Arab guns are systematically pounding Jewish positions in Jerusalem, where 100,000 civilians are in a desperate plight. They are short of water and have hacl no food from outside for \ 30 days. _ _ j Arab Legion leaders in the Old City of Jerusalem said to- j night that unless their surrendel1 terms were accepted by the i 500 Haganah,- Irgun and Stern Gang fighters inside the Old | Cily's Jewish quarter, Arab arlillery and mortars would reduce t the Jewish quarter. j

Despite the righting and shelling by guns of the Trans-. jordan Arab Legion. there have been no reports so f'ar of damage to any holy places. Debris from shelled buildings litters the streets of the New City which is still mostly occupied by Jewish forces. Xearly all the munieipal services have broken down. Arab Legion forces during the night heavily helled the Jews holding out in Hadassah Hospital and the Jewish University in Jerusalem, aecording to a Haganah comnuinique. The legion isolated both buildings when it eapiured the Sheikh Jarrah quarter yesteryesterday.