ARAB ARMIES MAY ATTACK “SOON”

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22623, 28 April 1948, Page 5

ARAB ARMIES MAY ATTACK “SOON”

IRAQ PLEDGE OF MILITARY AID INTENTIONS OF TRANSJORDAN CONFLICTING REPORTS OF MOVES (N.Z.P. A.—Reuter—Copyright. ) (11 a.m.) LONDON. April 27. Correspondents in Baghdad report that Iraq has agreed to full military co-operation “to save the Arabs in Palestine.” It is reported that regular armies of the Arab League members would start a general attack in * Palestine “soon.” It is officially stated that Iraq Army and Air Force movements would be secret meantime.

Thousands of Iraqi students who have been carrying on a hunger-strike “until the Arab armies move,” rushed to enlist after it was reported that Iraq had agreed to full military co-opera-tion with the Arab League for warfare in Palestine. The Premier told them: “You can now volunteer.” The Transjordan Government spokesman, speaking by telephone from Amman, denied that King Abdullah had declared war on Zionism. Arab Legion’s Protective Task The British Army spokesman in Jerusalem declared that one company of the Arab Legion had entered Jericho for specific duties on British Army orders. They were a road patrol who had been on loan to the British authorities in Palestine for police duties for several months. They had 'aken up a a position in the Jericho area as a security measure to keep the road to Transjordan open as the Jews were reported to be preparing to blow up the Allenoy Rridge. The Palestine Government spokesman said that the general officer commanding the British troops in Palestine had control of the Arab Legion troops in Palestine and their conduct was not in question. The Arab Legion troops are now guarding both sides of the A.Uenby Bridge. The 3ritish United Press correspondent in Beirut says that a telegram received in Beirut from the president of the Palestine Defence Committee, Sabri Pasha Tabbah, indicated that King Abdullah of Transjordan ordered his troops to enter Palestine at 6 a.m. local time, today No confirmation has been received from other sources. . “War the Only Way”

The only way to solve the Palestine problem, now that peaceful means nad failed, was by war, King Abdullah of Transjordan told the Daily Telegraph's special correspondent in Amman. The King said he had proposed to the Jews that they should live as citizens in an Arab State. If they did not accept his advice, he would ‘have the pleasure and honour of rescuing Palestine.” The Arabs had tried every means to reach a peaceful solution but the Jews had already attacked peaceful Arab villages and also Haifa, Jaffa and a great part of Jerusalem. The Arab Governments could not ignore the appeals of the Palestine Arabs. “I am an Arab, King of an Arab State with an Arab army and I will ar* as I think best,” he added. King Abdullah sent a message to the High Commissioner, Sir Alan Cunningham. declaring that the protection of Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Nazareth must be placed in Arab hands. General Cunningham replied that what happened in Palestine after the mandate was beyond his competence, but he would forward the message to the British Government. Egyptian Troops on Move Egyptian soldiers crowded on two trains and left Cairo at dawn. . It is understood that they are on their way to Palestine The Jewish Agency, in reply to the formal demand from King Abdullah for Arab sovereignty in Palestine on May 15 said that peace can be achieved only by tolerance and understanding at a conference of responsible leaders from Doth sides

The Jewish Agency spokesman said that the reply was an elfort to continue the policy of maintaining contact with the Arabs even during the present disturbances.

The police in Cairo and Alexandria proclaimed a state of emergency beginning at dawn today against demon stralions which are expected to follow Transjordan's reported declaration of war on Zionism. The Lebanese deputy,. Haj Hussein Aoweini, and 100 students at the American University, begun a “fast unto death” until the Arab armies march into Palestine. It is estimated that 20,000 refugees have entered Lebanon from Palestine. Official sources also said that the armies of Syria, Lebanon, Transjordan and Iraq have signed an agreement in Amman to open a three-front campaign in Palestine before May 1 and throw 40,000 soldiers into the attack against the Jews. The agreement was signed this afternoon. The delegates then left for Cairo for the agreement to be signed by King Farouk of Egypt and by Saudi-Arabia. The Syrian Parliament met in secret session tonight to hear a statement from the Minister of Defence on Syria’s contribution ,to “Palestine's liberation.” Reuter’s correspondent in Cairo says that the secretary-general of the Arab League, Azzam Pasha, after a secret meeting of the League, said: “The Zionists have challenged the Arabs and we accept the challenge. We shall do our best quickly to defeat them.” Reuter’s correspondent in Damascus reports that the Transjordan regular army’s heavy guns in Acre are reported to have opened fire on Jewish positions in Haifa. The Associated Press correspondent in Amman says that King Abdullah plans to take personal command of the Transjordan, Syrian and Lebanese armies’ move into Palestine by May 1. King Abdullah told the correspondent: “I shall place myself at the head

o f my troops and enter Palestine.” Moving with him will be Egyptian Army units which will simultaneously cross the Holy Land’s southern frontier. It is officially announced that British military personnel have moved into Lydda airport and the airport superintendent is operating the control tower. The Jewish staff, when they left yesterday, took 18 transmitting sets and the airport radio is out of action. Jamal el Husseini, of the Arab Higher , Committee, served notice on the poli--1 tical committee that unless the United Nations guaranteed the Arabs control , of the Holy Land at a fixed time and date, the Arabs would establish an inI dependent Arab State in Palestine when - the British mandate expired on May 15.