FATE OF HOLY CITY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 142, 29 March 1948, Page 3

FATE OF HOLY CITY

FACING IMMINENT CATASTROPHE Chief Rabbi’s Statement (N.Z.P. A.—Copyright). * JERUSALEM, March 28. The Chief Rabbi (Dr. Hertzog), in a broadcast, said that the Holy City was facing “imkinent catastrophe.” The Rabbi said that the nations which, during the United Nations discussions, were so concerned over the fate of the Holy City, had not raised a finger to guard it against danger; neither had the great Christian leaders made an effort to protect it.

A Jewish Agency spokesman at Lake Shccess declared that unless suitable arrangements were made to protect Jerusalem before the British withdrew the city would become a battlefield, and it would be impossible Jo protect the holy places from harm. Four Jewish planes bombed Arabs attacking a Jewish 30-vehicle convoy near Bethlehem, south of Jerusalem. Arab mines wrecked two of the Jewish lorries and the rest came under heavy Arab fire and were disabled. A British armoured car and other British forces were ordered to 5 the scene. The Jewish convoy was returning from Krar and Zion to Jerusalem. The Jewish planes which bombed 350 Arab attackers of the Jewish convoy are believed to be four of 21 surplus Auster spotter planes which Haganah bought. The pilots appeared to be bombing Arab units l?y hand. The Arab commando leader claimed that the Jewish convoy, which had been delivering food to Jewish settlements in the Hebron Hills, was wiped out, and he estimated Jewish casualties about 80. British Army authorities stated that they were unable to believe that 60 Jewish survivors $f the convoy are entrenched in an abandoned house, because the road leading to the house was heavily mined. Three of the four Haganah planes, which bombed the Arab attackers of the Jewish convoy near Bethlehem, again tried to relieve the 60 survivors of the convoy entrenched' in an abandoned house. Arabs say small arms fire hit the fourth plane which left trailing smoke.

The Haganah says the Arabs killed 10 Jews sent as a reinforcement unit early to-day. -