ALL FRONTS QUIET IN PALESTINE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22664, 15 June 1948, Page 5

ALL FRONTS QUIET IN PALESTINE

(11.30 a.m.) LONDON, June 14. All fronts in Palestine are quiet for the first time since hostilities began, according to an Israel communique issued In Tel Aviv. The Israel Government representative in Paris has denied that a ship carrying Jewish volunteers and arm? has left Port de Buoc for PalestineThe Arab League protested to Senor Azcarate, a member of the United Nations Palestine Committee against the departure of several hundred Jews of military age from French Mediterranean ports. Earlier, the Israeli Government alleged in a letter to a United Nations official that the Syrian Army had continued attacks in northern Palestine after the cease-fire deadline on Friday, and said that the Israeli army had been compelled to renew its activities in selfdefence. The cruiser Phoebe arrived at Haifa to be headquarters of General Sir Harold Macmillan, the British G.0.C., during the last days of the evacuation of the Haifa enclave. One thousand more British troops sailed for Port Said last night.

Speaking over the Swiss radio, Dr. Paul Ruegger. president of the International Red Cross, praised the Arab and Jewish care for the war wounded and non-combatants in Palestine.

“Thanks to the Arab Legion’s exemplary conduct, the Arab Supreme Command’s understanding, and the Jewish forces’ co-operation, much has been done beyond the Geneva convention’s requirements.”

A Foreign Office spokesman said today that he could not explain a statement from M. Trygve Lie’s office denying that Count Bernadotte had requested Britain to supply air and sea transport for use by the Palestine truce observers.

The spokesman said Count Bernadotte had made the request through the British Ambassador at Cairo, Sir Ronald Campbell. A United Nations’ spokesman at Lake Success said that small British aircraft might be used to carry truce observers around Palestine, but they would be entirely under United Nations’ control.

U.S. COLONEL WAS JEWISH STRATEGIST

NEW YORK, June 12,

Colonel David Marcus, a Brooklynborn soldier and lawyer, the supreme commander of the Israeli forces on the Jerusalem front, who was killed recently, was smuggled into Palestine shortly before Christmas and transformed the Haganah guerilla forces into a modern fighting army. Working day and night, he compiled military manuals, created officer training schools, organised a general staff, supervised field and school training, and outlined complete strategy for the coming campaigns. Posing as a foundry worker. Colonel Marcus talked his way out of trouble when picked up by the British authorities for questioning. He returned in April to the United States, where, ironically he was decorated by the British Government for his services in World War 11. As the British Ambassador draped the O.BIE. around Colonel Marcus’ neck he remarked: “That’s quite a tan you have there, colonel.”

Colonel Marcus said laier: “Gosh, it was a temptation to explain that I had got it dodging British patrols in Palestine. As the end of the British mandate approached he returned to Palestine in response to appeals from the Zionist authorities.