WAR SPREADS IN HOLY LAND

Grey River Argus, 24 April 1948, Page 5

WAR SPREADS IN HOLY LAND

ZIONISTS OUST ARABS FROM HAIFA (Rec. 10.45) LONDON, April 23. On Thursday in Haifa city,’ on the north coast of Palestine, there was a day-long battle, in which four hundred Arabs are reported to have been killed and many hundreds of Arabs injured. After the battle the Jewish forces were on Thursday night in occupation of the whole of the city of Haifa, except for the port area. The port area is still bed by British troops. The Haifa port is the main bridgehead for the evacuation from Palestine within two weeks of the ydiole of the British forces. Fighting was continuing in Haifa at some points' early on Friday morning, says the Daily Telegraph’s Jerusalem correspondent, but all of the effective Arab resistance was at an end.

'BATTLES ALL OVER PALESTINE NOW

JERUSALEM, April 22. Jewish forces on Thursday seized control of Haifa city after an allnight battle with Arabs there. The seizure has followed the withdrawal of the British troops fppm all parts of the city, except the port area. The

Arabs sued for peace, asking the British military authorities to mediate. During the battle, mortar shelling set alight to buildings in the port area, and Britislu troops occupied defensive positions. At the British armv’s request the Haganah ordered the cease-fire shortly after noon. An Arab spokesman said: It was a massacre. The Jews shot many Arab women and children as they attempted to flee into the British-controlled port area. A Haganah spokesman denied the accusation. He said that four Jews were killed and over 30 wounded. He estimated that not more than 20 Arabs had been killed. British military sources estimated that 50 to 100 Arabs were killed during the fighting In Jerusalem all the British security forces were “altered” as news of the Haifa battle arrived, in case the Haganah planned a similar drive in Jerusalem. ARABS LEAVING HAIFA The Jews are understood to have demanded the surrender of the Arabs’ arms and the deportation of “foreign elements” in the Arab forces. The Arabs rejected these terms after the night of fighting and two meetings of the' leaders of the Arab and the Jewish communities. An Arab spokesman said the Arabs would evacuate Haifa, but would not accept the Jewish terms. The Jews are now entirely running the Haifa automatic telephone exchange. They are reported to be advancing towards the port area, which may affect the British evacuation plans. The Jews’ seizure of Haifa gives them control of the Eastern Mediterranean’s principal port. which handles the imports of practically al 1 Transjordan, most of Iraq, Syria and part of Lebanon. A British military source said all arms will be taken from the evacuating Arabs and be held until the mandate ends on May 15. They would then be given to the Haganah as “legitimate spoils of war”. The Arab spokesman said the Arabs could not sign the Haganoh’s peace terms, because it would be impossible to fulfil them. EXODUS OF 20,000 Large-scale Arab evacuation from Haifa is already under wav. It is estimated that 10,000 to 15,000 frantic men, women and children, carrying their possessions on their backs, are now’ jamming the port area. Army landing-craft are ferrying them across the bav to Acre. The British military authorities estimate that 18,000 to 25,000 Arabs remain to be evacuated. The Haganah announced that it would co-operate with the British forces in assuring the safety of all Arabs who wished to evacuate Haifa. Battles are now being fought all over Palestine as the Jews and Arabs attempt to take over towns and vantage points evacuated by the departing British. The Arabs are bitterlv criticising the British failure to intervene in the new outbreak of violence. The Palestine Government told Britons planning tn leave Palestine to' do so by April 30. as no escort facilities would be available after that. The evacuation begins on May 5.

Arab official sources stated that the Arab League had thought that untrained Arab forces could dominate the situation, but the recent Jewish massacres and “armed Russian interference" had changed the whole situation. According to Syrian official sources, the Svrian delegates to the Arab League Political Committee in Cairo 1 have been instructed to ask for immediate action by the regular Arab forces in Palestine before the British mandate expires. In Amman, King Abdullah of Transjordan, called on Arab kings and rulers to send armies along with, his own Arab legion into Palestine when the British mandate ends. Troops of the Transjordan Arab Legion are- massing along the eastern hank of the Jordan, and it is thought likely that they will enter Palestine soon. Armed Arabs held un the staff c p Barclay’s Bank in Jerusalem, and stole £13.900. JEWISH ATTACKS DENOUNCED Faris el Khoury (Syria) described the Jewish seizure of Haifa as an atrocious attack on a defenceless people. He claimed that the Jews could not wipe out all of the Arabs in the territory allotted them under the partition plan. Senor Jose Garcia Granados (Guatemala), who is a keen supporter of Palestine partition, retorted: “We all know there is a. war going on in Palestine. I would like to inquire whether, when Arabs go into attack, they will use flowers or breadcrumbs". The sitting was abruptly adjourned till tomorrow U.N.O. PARTITION AGITATION (Rec. 10.20). NEW YORK. April 22. Abba Hill ol Silver, of the Jewish Agency, told the U.N.O. Partition Committee that the Jews intended to establish a State, as nrcmised under partition, as soon as the British mandate ended, regardless of what the United Nations Assembly might have decided. Abba Silver declared that the reason for the new United States trusteeship proposals was to appease violence and to reward aggression. Anv attempt to impose a trusteeship would necessarily involve a violent effort to sunnress all forms of independent national life. He said- “This the Jewish people will not relinquish without a struggle”.

There was a flare up just before the U.N.O. committee adjourned. The Irace delegate (Mr Awni Kha-

Will Truman Send

Troops ?

Zionist Press Praise

for Dominions’ Attitude

lidy) alleged to-day that there was “a group of countries bent on partition by hook or by crook”. Sir Carl Berendsen (New Zealand) replied: “I have never been a member of an underground group, nor has any member of the New Zealand Government. We do our duty, not by hook or by crook, but in the open light,of day”.’ Mr W. D. Forsyth (.Australia) denied that Australia was a member of any group, and said that Australia merely wanted to see the recommendation of the General Assembly on partition carried out. Australia demanded that the United Nations should proceed immediately to carry out Palestine partitioning. M. Alexandre Parodi (France) proposed ton priority be given to safeguarding Jerusalem and its holy places. He urged that the Trusteeship Council be authorised to begin consultations immediately on the recruiting of an emergency police force for Palestine.

Slav Backing for Partition (Rec. 9.5). NEW YORK, April 22. The United Press reported:—The Australian proposal regarding partition of Palestine is assured of a formidable backing from the Slav States and from other small nations. United Nations observers agreed that, unless some United Nations member, aside from the Russian bloc, offered to join the United States in sending troops to Palestine, the American trusteeship plan was doomed. Britain May Change Attitude to Palestine American Lead Likely to be Followed (Rec. 11.40). LONDON, April 23. The Daily Mail's political correspondent reports: The British Government may accent the United States proposal for U.N.O. to take up in Palestine a trusteeship, under which Britain, France and the United States could supply forces to maintain law and order in Palestine, until U.N.O. could set up a permanent authority. The Dailv Mail’s correspondent points out that this would represent a drastic modification of the British policy, which, hitherto, has been adamantly opposed to the British remaining on in Palestine. The matter was discussed by the British Cabinet on Thursday. The correspondent says, and Mr Bevin is expected to make a statement in the House of Commons on Thursday next. "Whatever decision is reached, the present evacuation will continue”, he said. “Any scheme in which Britain might join would be on the basis of equal responsibility”.

(Rec. 10.20). NEW YORK, April 22. President Truman said that American troons would not be sent to Palestine’ to keep peace, except as nart of a United Nations police force. That was the only way in which the United States was going to use troops to enforce peace anywhere. Mr Truman dismissed a suggestion that he might not have the authority to order troops to Palestine without Congressional approval. He added that he was the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and that he had ample historical precedent for sending troops overseas.

(Rec. 9.10). NEW YORK, April 22. The New York Post, which is a strongly pro-Zionist paper, has a leading article on Palestine, signed by its editor, Mr T. O. Thakrey. He says: “There is yet hope for a peaceful world fuled by law, based on justice, honour, integrity and compassion. The United Nations concept, has found champions among delegates. If we achieve the world so desperately needed by all mankind, it will be because of high moral courage, wisdom, and dynamic leadership, of such men as Sir’ Carl Berendsen (New Zealand) and his colleague from Australia, Mr John Hood. Thev are not only making clear how crucial a prompt and just settlement of the Palestine case has become, but nave once again set forth principles at stake,, and a clear programme for achieving victory". MONTREAL, April 22.

“If the angry vigor" shown by Australian and New Zealand spokesmen- on the Palestine issue can be communicated to enough other members of the United Nations Assembly it is just possible that something can be done to retrieve the situation from complete fiasco and futility,' savs the Montreal Daily in an editorial. “There is little time left and the question is how many are prepared to face the implications of the words of New Zealand’s Sir Car. Berendsen: ‘We cannot hope to preserve peace and order in the worlG by words alone". , The leader adds that the United States has hesitatingly nut forward a trusteeship plan “with almost, if not quite, as many objectionable features and difficulties as partition’ 1 , although it has a responsibility to present somethin? more nostive.