BRITAIN INFORMS JEWS OF ORDERS GIVEN TO TROOPS

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 March 1949, Page 5

BRITAIN INFORMS JEWS OF ORDERS GIVEN TO TROOPS

(Rec. 1 p.m.) LONDON, March 14. Britain has communicated to the Israeli Government details of the instructions given to the British forces in Akaba regarding action in certain eventualities, according to Reuter. Britain has done this with a view to forestalling the dangers of inopportune incidents.

The Admiralty stated today that the 1490-ton sloop Magpie has arrived at Akaba.

According to a message received at Rhodes, Jewish mechanised units, totalling 3000 men, have reached the southern Negev to take up positions along the Palestine-Transjordan frontier, says the British United Press Rhodes correspondent. The message is reported to have reached the Palestine mediator, Dr Bunche, shortly after he had written his interim report to the Security Council today. Dr Bunche said in his report that he had formally requested the Israeli and Transjordan delegations at Rhodes to tell their Governments that the military activities in the Akaba area, regardless of whether actual fighting eventuates, must be regarded as contrary to the conditions of the truce imposed by the Security Council. Dr Bunche reported that on March 10, an Israeli force, “estimated at 150 men alid 25 vehicles,” occupied the town of Ummel Rash, within the Palestine borders of the Akaba gulf. The only incident so far reported involved an. exchange of fire between the Arab Legion and Israeli elements at Ghamar, north of Akaba. In this exchange one Arab Legion armoured car was disabled.