ARAB SIEGE AT TEL AVIV

Grey River Argus, 1 June 1948, Page 5

ARAB SIEGE AT TEL AVIV

FIGHTING ALL OVER HOLY LAND (Rec. 10.10) LONDON, May 31. Lighting continues throughout the Holy Land. At the same tiriie there is an Arab semi-circle around Tel Aviv. The semi-circle is tightening, according to a Baghdad communique, which claims that Iraqi mechanised units have occupied the Jewish settlement of Kohn, on the coast, six miles north of Tel Aviv. Righting is also continuing in the Jerusalem area. In Jerusalem the church officials report that Jewish mortar and shrapnel fire has slightly damaged the great dome over the Holy Sepulchre, and has smashed one panel, showering glass over the shrine which is covering Christ’s tomb. Arab Legion Bren-gunners, north-west of Jerusalem, claim to have shot down a Jewish Auster army spotting plane, which was one of two which had been making twilight bombing raids on an Arab position. Arabs have captured some “museum” pieces of Jewish artillery—guns dated 1910. These guns jam as often as they fire their thirteen-pound shells.

Arabs Not to Assault New City (Rec. 9.15). LONDON, May 31. The Arab Legion is not to be committed to an assault on the maze of streets and of stone buildings comprising the new city of Jerusalem. This is stated by the Daily Telegraph's correspondent at Amman, in Transjordania. He says: Some of the Arab States suspect the U.N.O. Security Council's proposed fourweek ‘•cease-fire” plan. Other Arab States, however, are inclined towards a qualified acceptance of the plan. All of the Arabs are united, however, in the belief that the aim of the Jews is to gain the whole of Palestine and of Transjordan, and the Arabs are certain that their worst enemy is the United States. They attribute the Jewish violence to the American “encouragement and intervention”. Jewish Populace Hungry in New Jerusalem (Rec. 10.40). LONDON, May 31. Food supplies in Jerusalem are dwindling. This accounts for sustained efforts by Jews to break a blockade of the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem road which the Arabs have set up at Latrun. A majority of Jerusalem’s hundred thousand Jews are already hungry. There is hardly a cigarette in the city. Normal life is at a standstill. • Arabs Likely to Try for Tel Aviv LONDON, May 30. The Arabs appear to be making Tel Aviv their next objective in the next battle for Palestine. . According to claims made in Cairo, Arab colufnns are converging on the Tel Aviv area from the south, east and north. m , Egyptian, Iraqi and Transjordan forces are reported to be occupying a semi-circle of towns and . villages, 14 to 22 miles from Tel Aviv. Others Arab reports say that Transjordan forces have entered Lydda, and Ramleh, 13 miles south-west of Tel Aviv. A Jewish communique says that an artillery duel between Egyptian and Jewish forces developed near Ashdod. ... Egyptian planes bombed Hboboth. One of Jewish planes which attacked the Egyptians did not return. ’ Some observers predict that now the Arabs have conquered the Old City’of Jerusalem they will be content to besiege the New City with its 100,000 Jews and let starvation bring them another victory. The loss of the Old City is a bitter blow to the Jews, who on the insistence of their Provisional Government had attempted to hold an indefensible position fop prestige reasons. In Cairo, the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Ahmed Khashaba Pasha, said the Arab League’s political committee will meet to-morrow to discuss the United Nations’ proposal for a four-week cease-fire for Palestine. Jewish forces captured from strong Iraqi forces the former British camp at Raselain, which is a pumping station for the Jerusalem water supnlv. The Haganah High Command said the Jews captured intact the waterpump installations. Jews Capture Arab Town in the North (Rec. 10.40). LONDON, May 31. The Jewish Haganah, in a communique, claims that Jews captured an Arab town, Megiddo, twenty miles south-east of Haifa, in north Palestine. The communique says that the local Arabs of Megiddo have evacuated, but that Iraqi troops were ‘in-

trenched in the town, and that they were driven out. Megiddo was tne scene or many battles m ancient times. It is strategically important, as it commands a narrow pass between the Plain of Armageddon ano the rlam of Sharon. The town, in Biblical times, was captured by Joshua wnen tne Israelites entreed Canaan. King Solomon built the fortifications of Megiddo, and excavators have recently discovered stables that King Solomon constructed there for four hundred horses. EGYPTIAN CLAIM (Rec. 11.5). CAIRO, May 31. An Egyptian communique claims that the Jewish counter-attack at Ashdod was repulsed. Syrians Bomb Palestine Port (Rec. 11.58). LONDON. May-31. The Associated Press correspondent at Damascus says: A Syrian cqmmunique claims that a Syrian Air Force squadron has made a strong raid on Naharya. It destroyed an important position. It bombed a ship in port, and inflicted heavy losses. Jewish Appeal for Soviet Help (Rec, 8.40). LONDON, May 31. The Jewish Irgun Zvai Leumi has broadcast an appeal to the Soviet, Union, as a country which has recognised the new State of Israel, to help, as it said, “to liquidate Arab-Bntisn aggression”. Truce Question LONDON, May 30. The Times, in a leader, says: “Hopes of a truce in Palestine have been greatly strengthened by the Security Council’s adoption of the British proposals, which are both fair and practical. It is the last opportunity to avert the savagery which religious wars develop and no. less clearly it is the last opportunity to prevent deepening divisions among the' Powers. The burden of the United Nations’ mediator will be longer count on divisions between overwhelming, unless the Arabs and the Jews alike know they can no longer count on divisions between the United States and Britain.” Hopes Held Out (Rec. 9.30). LONDON. May 31. ' High hopes are yet held in some quarters that the United Nations cease-fire order may yet bring peace in Palestine. British Officers Leave the Arab Legion (Rec. 11.10). LONDON, May 31. All of the officers who had been seconded from the British Army to the Arab Legion were withdrawn from Palestine by midnight on Sunday night. Jews and Communists Suspect in Egypt (Rec. 10.45). CAIRO, May 31. The Premier of Egypt, Nokrashy Pasha, as military governor, has decreed the sequestration of the property of any persons or organisations who are working against the security of the State, or of persons whom the State has interned. The British United Press correspondent points out that these persons mainly are Jews and Communists, and are alleged to be subversive elements. _