“TO EARLY YET” TO FIX THE TRUCE DEADLINE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22656, 5 June 1948, Page 5

“TO EARLY YET” TO FIX THE TRUCE DEADLINE

(.11 a.m.) ... ..LONDON June 4. The United Nations mediator in Palestine, Count Bernadotte returned to Cairo by air from Haifa after a tour of Arab and Jewish centres in the Middle East. Count Bernodotte said it was too early to say when the cease-fire would take place.

“There are still a number of obstacles to overcome,” he said. Battle for Jenin

A special Jewish communique early on Friday claimed that Israel troops entered Jenin, the Arab town midway between the Sea of Galilee and Tel Aviv in the rear of the Iraqi advance towards the coast.

While reports from Haifa support a Jewish claim from Tel Aviv that Jewish forces have broken through the outer defences of Jenin, the British United Press correspondent in Amman quotes an Arab report that the Iraqi forces repulsed Israel Army units from the town in one of the fiercest battles yet in the Palestine war. Reuters correspondent in Haifa says that Jewish infantry units are now battling toward the centre of -Jenin, supported by Jewish artillery, wnich is shelling the town from two nuuap^.. The Jews admitted that Iraqi infantry counter-attacked, but claimed that their thrust failed, following which the Jews resumed the offensive into the town.

An Iraqi officer told the British United Press correspondent in Amman that all the Iraqi positions in Jenin are intact after repulsing the Jews, the Iraqi version of the attacking stating that Jewish armoured units even penetrated to the centre of the town but Iraqi troops, based in a forress, forced the Jews to retreat. Jewish armour again broke through, but the Iraqi troops encircled the Jews and forced them to withdraw.

Jerusalem was reported quiet after both Arabs and Jews had virtually ceased fire. Red Cross officials arranged for the Jews to send another batch of non-combatant Arab prisoners into the Arab-held old city, but instead of the expected 500 women and children only 38 persons walked through the wreckage of blasted churches and other buildings under the watchful eyes of Arab and Jewish gunners To the south the Jews claim to havij surrounded an Egyptian column at Isdud, half-way from Gaza to Tel Aviv, which the Egyptians captured a few days ago. Reports from Amman said that heavy Iraqi reinforcements, including big guns, were moving through the Transjordan hill country. An Egyptian communique claims that Egyptian naval forces attacked the port of Caesarea, 30 miles north of Tel Aviv and sank one vessel and scored direct hits on harbour installations.

In Damascus the Syrian Prime Minister, Mardam Bey said he' did not think the Arab countries would be in an ununfavourable position to counter the possible imposition of economic sanctions on them in the event of failure to conclude a truce. “Very Optimistic” He announced that the Arab League’s political committee would assemble next week in Cairo to review the outdome of Count Bernadette’s efforts. Count Bernadotte and the Truce Commission accompanied by Mr. Harold Evans the Mayor of Jerusalem appointed by the United Nations left Cairo for Amman today.

Count Bernadotte told Reuter’s correspondent in Cairo he was “very optimistic” about the successful four weeks’ truce.

British military sources in Haifa said that 249 Jewish immigrants who arrived on Tuesday were not allowed to land in port. They were disembarked outside by tugs and lighters. Lieut.-General 'MacMillan, said that 12 Jewish prisoners in custody will be released before the departure of the last British troops from Palestine.

The Foreign Office spokesman said in London that no Jews of military age would be permitted to leave Cyprus during the truce, but women and children with physical defects and older men would be allowed to go to Palestine.

The spokesman said that Britain had definite evidence that most of the 24,000 immigrant detained at Cyprus had already had military or part-military training.

Britain had decided to interpret the phrase “fighting personnel” in the Security Council’s latest cease-fire resolution in a broader sense than that or “armed forces.”

Observance of U.N. Orders

Britain meant by “fighting personnel"* all capable of being used for fighting. Britain’s decision has been ’discussed with other Governments. The British decision follows the paragraph in the Security Council’s resolution calling On all Governments to “undertake not to introduce fighting personnel into Palestine, Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi-Arabia, Transjordan or Yemen during the cease-fire.” The British decision on the Cyprus immigrants was made last night, and. consequently, could not be announced at the Security Council meeting that* night. The decision may have an important effect on the prospects for the Palestine truce becoming operative. Britain has now declared in favour of the Arab contention that Israel should not continue to receive immigrants of all age groups, whether or not these include Jews who have had military training in the European displaced persons camps. Israel, when accepting the cease-fire proposals on certain conditions, specifically reserved the right to admit immigrants of all age groups.