FRENCH UNITED NATIONS OBSERVER’S PLANE SHOT DOWN

Grey River Argus, 30 August 1948, Page 5

FRENCH UNITED NATIONS OBSERVER’S PLANE SHOT DOWN

Officer And Pilot Killed (Rec. 7.40) LONDON, Aug. 28 The Chief French United Nations’ Observer in Palestine, Colonel Queru, was killed when his plane was shot down near Gaza, says the British United Press Haifa correspondent. Colonel Queru’s plane was piloted by a French officer, and was flying over the Arab-held area when hit by a burst of machine-gun fire. Colonel Queru was killed instantly, and the pilot, who was seriously wounded, died shortly after he managed to land the aircrait. „ m ' The- Associated Press Tel . Aviv correspondent, says the United Nations’ officials said that Colonel Queru s plane was painted white, with United Nations’ markings. It has not been determined whether the plane was shot at in flight, and crash-landed, or whether it made an emergency landing, and was shot on the runway. united Nations’ officials said that Haifa headquarters sent to Gaza 24 hours’ notice of the flight of Colonel Queru, who is described as the Assistant Chief of Staff for the United Nations Field Operations, says Reuter’s Tel Aviv correspondent. Lack ot communications with Gaza, however, prevented the landing clearance being reecived in time. . . The United Nations’ investigating team will leave Haifa to-morrow for Gaza. HOLY CITYTRUCE IN NAME ONLY HAIFA, Aug. 28 United Nations observers have reported a “general deterioration of the Arab-Jewish truce in Jerusalem. It is reported that Iraqi troops are taking up positions alongside the Transjordan forces in and around Jerusalexh. T The Arab Legion Jerusalem command reported continued mortar and rifle fire throughout in the south Jerusalem area. ' Issa Nekhleh, the Palestine Arab Higher Committee delegate to the United Nations, told a press conference that the Arabs would not rest until “this mock Jewish State is tinished.” The Italian Foreign Ministry issued a statement to-day denying reported Arab charges that the Italian Government was backing the Jews in Palestine. It admitted that some “ clandestine” shipments of men and arms might have slipped away from Italy s coastline. _ •