JEWISH GUNMEN SLAY U.N.O. MEDIATOR AND OFFICIAL WHILE ON VISIT TO HOLY CITY Stern Gang Orders to Kill British Wherever Found

Grey River Argus, 20 September 1948, Page 5

JEWISH GUNMEN SLAY U.N.O. MEDIATOR AND OFFICIAL WHILE ON VISIT TO HOLY CITY

Stern Gang Orders to Kill British Wherever Found

(Rec. 9.45) LONDON, Sept. 18. Full-scale military operations in Jerusalem, have resulted in the arrpst of one hundred and fifty persons as suspects in connection with the murder of Count Folke Bernadotte, United Nations mediator who was shot in the Jewish quarter of Jerusalem by meh in Jewish uniforms on Friday. Also killed was his companion, Colonel Serot, a French United Nations official.

An Israeli Government spokesman in Tel Aviv reported 150 arrests in Jerusalem, and also that 50 others had been arrested in Tel Aviv and other parts of the country. Most of the suspects' are members of ‘the Stern Gang. Count Bernadotte, who was in Damascus on Thursday, visited Ramallah, 10 miles north of Jerusalem on Friday. He conferred with an Arab Legion Brigadier ’before proceeding to the Holy City. Mr John MacDonald, American Consul in Jerusalem, said that the killing was done, “presumably by the Stern Gang."

Two miles north of Jerusalem Bernadotte’s car was fired on from the direction of Hadassah Hospital on Mount Scopus., The bullets penetrated one side of the car without' injuring anybody. After reaching Jerusalem Count Bernadotte inspected bullet holes in his car. He seemed upset, saying: “I do not .jvant to be shot at either by regulars or irregulars." High Arab Legion officers in jeeps accompanied Bernadotte’s party on the drive. An armoured car brought up the rear. After visiting the Arab sector of the city, Bernadotte then motored to the Arab and Jewish front lines to cross into the Jewish ar # ea. He was proceeding through the Jewish Katamon area when, according to the American Consulate, a jeep with four men, presumably Stem Gang members, blocked his car.

Two men from the jeep ran . towards Berpadotte’s car. A United Nations security' officer, Colonel Frank Begley, grappled with. ■ oneman and was slightly wounded in the face’. A second man, however, reached the car and shot Qount Bernadotte and Colonel Serot at point-blank range, with a Sten gun. A CURFEW

Press correspondents report that the Israeli Army has imposed a curfew in Jerusalem until further notice, virtually placing all of .the city’s 90,000 Jaws under house rarest.

Bernadotte a Marked Man

for Stern Gang Since July

(Rec. 10.5) NEW YORK, Sept. 18 The New York Times correspondent, Mr C. L. Sulzberger, reports a conversation which he had in a Tel Aviv Hotel with two members of the Stern Gang in July, in which they announced their intention of killing Count Bernadotte. One was a South African by birth. The other’s origin was not certain. They stated quite calmly but positively: “We intend to kill Bernadotte, and any other uniformed United Nations’ observers who come to Jerusalem.” , , x , Mr Sulzberger asked them why they wished to do this. They replied that their organisation was determined to seize all of Jerusalem for the state oi Israel, and that they would brook no interference by any national or international body. n n Mr Sulzberger says that he reported this conversation to the United Nations’ officials, who were “impressed.” General Lundstroem, in a report to the United Nations headquarters in Paris, said that Count Bernadotte rejected a suggestion that he should take a safer route through Jerusalem than the one on which he was killed. 1 have to take the same risks as my observers,” he said. THREATS PRECEDE MURDERS LONDON, Sept. 18. Colonel Andre Serot, killed with Count Bernadotte, was the cruet United Nations observer in Jerusalem and a former French Air Force Chief . , - ' Count Bernadotte’s assassins succeeded in escaping in their jeep. An American military observer, just returned from Palestine to Pans reported to United Nations officials that the Stern Gang recently threatened to kill Count Bernadotte if he set foot in Jerusalem. Count Bernadotte said recently: “I don’t think even the most t extreme terrorists will be foolish enough to try to assassinate me." There is open evidence recently ot Stern Gang hostility to Count Bernad°An American correspondent said that Count Bernadotte permitted him to fly in his (Bernadottes) special plane from Damascus to Jerusalem on Friday. During the flight Count Bernadotte showed the correspondent a note, which read: “Urgent. Inform all aircraft against landing at Kolundia airport. They will be .fired upon.” Bernadotte said: ‘This is an obvious attempt to frighten me. It so, somebody is mistaken.. I won t be frightened.” This warning mes 4 sage, purported to come from the United Nations station, was believed to have come from an unidentified radio in Jewish-held Haifa. General Marshall said he was deeply shocked to learn of Count Bernadotte’s assassination. The world would bitterly regret the loss of a man whose life had been one of assistance to mankind. Dr Abba Hillel Silver, chairman, of the American section of the Jewish , Agency, described Count Bernadotte’s death as “a shameful a,nd dastardly crime.”

Russians’ Part

in Palestine

LONDON, Sept. 18

Glubb Pasha, commander of the Arab Legion, who left London yesterday on his return to the Middle East, said that Britain should secure an early settlement in Palestine because Russia was seeking control of the Middle East by supporting Israel. “Russia will try to dominate Berlin,” he said. “Israel spends large American subsidies on buying arms .from Russia and the Russian, satellites, whiie the Russians train Jewish youths for war. .If the United Nations cannot enforce peace between two small Governments, what can they do?”

THE FUNERAL

(Rec 10.5 n.m.) LONDON Sept 19 The bodies of Count Bernado.te and Colonel Serot are being flown to their respective countnes for burial.

Official Account of Assassination

(Rec 9.55 p.m.) LONDON, Sept 18. The American -representative of the United Nations Secretary-General Doctor Ralph Bunche, in an official version of the assassination, cabled to Paris, said.—“ Count Bernadotte, who was in Jerusalem on an official tour, was proceeding with a party in three cars, flying the United Nations, and Red Cross flags, from Government House to the Y.M.C.A All- three of the cars were stopped by a road block in the Katamon quqarter of the New City. Men dressed in Israeli Army uniforms poured from a nearby jeep, Apparently . they recognised the Mediator’s car,' which they approached, and they opened nre, at point-blank range, on Count Bernadotte and Colonel Serot, who were seated in the rear. Colonel Serot died instantly. Count Bernadotte died soon afterwards.” Dr Bunche also sent a telegram to the Israeli Foreign Minister, Mr Shertok, as follows:— “This cold-blooded murder of Count Bernadotte by Jewish assailants, is an outrage against the international community, and an unspeakable violation of elementary morality. 'This murder constitutes a breach of the truce, of the utmost gravity, for which the Israeli Government must accept full responsibility." . Doctor Bunche has been appointed Acting United Nations Mediator; in Palestine. The Acting Secretary-General of the United Nations, M. Sobolev, has asked Dr. Bunche to exert every possible effort to maintain the true? and to keep the truce observation machinery intact. Dr. Bunche is a negro. REASON FOR MURDER?

Foreign Consuls in Israeli have reported receiving a notice signed by the so-called “Splinter Group" of the Stern Gang, saying, “We killed Bernadotte, because he worked for the British and carried out their orders.”

(Rec. 9.50) LONDON, Sept. 18 An Associated Press correspondent at Jerusalem says: Sheikh Abu Ghosh, leader of the Arab Wing of the Stern Gang, announced: “We have already begun our reign of terror and sabotage. Glubb Pasha heads our list of those who are marked down for assassination. My men are under orders to kill the British where and when they find them. JEWISH REGRETS

An Israeli Government statement called for the nation to rise as one man against the enemy in its midst. It added, “Every Israeli citizen will give active, unhesitating assistance to the police and the Army in apprehending the assassins and accomplices to expunge the strain of terrorism from Israeli soil. The Government, outraged by this appalling crime, will use all the force it commands to suppress this insane attempt by gunmen to wreck Israeli s relations with the United Nations The murder is ;an attack on the United Nations’ authority and Israeli sovereignty. The Government would uproot the criminal gang responsible for Count Bernadotte’s murder. WORLD-WIDE LAMENTATION LONDON, Sept. 18 From countries all over the world the news of Count Bernadotte’s death has brought expressions of horror and regret. , , ~. . In Stockholm hundreds of blackedged news placards on the streets announced Count Bernadotte’s death. The Stockholm radio announcer s voice broke as he told the Swedish people of the assassination. In Amman, King Abdullah said: I always suspected something of this sort ’would‘happen. I am sorry to hear of the killing. The mediator was a splendid personality in whom I lound nobleness and good intentions. The killing was convincing proof that one should not trust the Jewish State, built on aggression—and assassination.” The secretary of the Arab Office, London, Mr Edward Atiyah said: “I am horrified beyond words. All Arabs will receive the news with extreme horror.” Mr Anthony Eden said: I deeply deplore this outrage.”

U.N.O. Assembly to

Consider the Matter

(Rec 9.20 p.m.) LONDON, Sept 19. Mr Trygve Lie, United Nations secretary, has arrived by air from Norway. His aim is to straighten tne turmoil that is arising in the United Nations from ’ Count Bernadottes assassination. • reports the Associated Press. Mr Lie has decided -to plac? the Palestine question on the United Nations Assembly agenda as an additional item.

UNITED NATIONS COUNCIL MEETS

Reuters’ correspondent at Paris sa y S _The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting On Saturday afternoon to examine the situation, following Count Bernadotte’s assassination. The president of the council Mr A.Cadogan, expressed the council’s “horror at this senseless, disastrous crime.” He said that there could be no question ol relinquishing Count Bernadotte s work. They should double their efforts to restore peace in Palestine. Mr Trygve Lie said that the assassination was a direct act of attempted interference in the United Nations’ fforts to settle the Palestine question. Nine United Nations . representatives have now been killed in th? Middle East. It demanded an answer to the question of what shouldbe done to protect those serving the United Nations. U.N.O. MISTAKE

agreed to the French proposal to internationalise Jerusalem. He said that he reserved the right to make this proospal again. The council adjourned after hearing tributes to Count Bernadotte from others ' members, and standing in silence for one minute. Reuter’s correspondent at Geneva savs that 33 delegates attending the World Federation of United Nations Associations, passed a resolution expressing “horror at the senseless outrage.” FEAR OF RENEWED WARFARE (Rec 10.10 p.m.) LONDON Sept 19. Tension has appreciably heightened along the Palestine front. There is the feeling that a sudden outbreak of fighting might ignite the whole line, from the Syrian border into the Negev wasteland, with the Jerusalem front once more as the focal point. The general view of shocked United Nations officials is: “All hell will break loose in Palestine now.” N.Z. COMMENT ♦ WELLINGTON, Sept. 19 “The death of Count Bernadotte in such tragic circumstances has deeply shocked the Government and the people of New Zealand,” stated the Prime Minister (Mr Fraser) in a message of sympathy to tlffi SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations (Mr Trygve Lie). ' “In his work in Palestine, Count Bernadotte had already accomplished much and we hone his example of courage and understanding will persuade the contending forces to adopt the policy of peace and co-operation for which he worked so strenuously and faithfully,” concluded Mr Fraser. AUCKLAND, Sept. 19 Jewish people everywhere would be horrified by the dastardly murder of Count Bernadotte, allegedly by members of the Stern Gang, said Rabbi Astor, of Auckland. All Jews would be deeply grieved, he added, that at a time when the Israeli Government was making such strenuous effoits to eliminate this small but dangerous element in its midst this catasti ophe had occurred. The fine qualities of Count Bernadotte greatly impressed the members of the’New Zealand delegation attending at Stockholm the first international .Red Cross conference since 1938. ______