Jewish Plane Fires On RAF Plane Over Hebron

Northern Advocate, 16 January 1948, Page 3

Jewish Plane Fires On RAF Plane Over Hebron

JERUSALEM, Thu. (10 a.m.)—A Jewish plane fired on an RAF plane, which was reconnoitring the Hebron area. The Jewish aircraft is believed to have been a Moth or Piper Cub—types used by the Jewish Flying Club in Palestine.

During reconnaissance the RAF plane saw a strange plane drop a message in the Hebron area. The RAF plane swooped and the otner ou-erhn opened fire. The RAF plane did not return the fire.

ed 23 (19 Jews and four Arabs), by firing on buses and private cars. The sniping stopped all traffic in the streets and work in the dock area, and virtually paralysed the life of the city. In Cairo the chief of the Arab League Press section (Assad Dagher) told correspodents that the Arab League had

It is believed that the Jewish plane belonged to Haganah. Large bodies of Arabs have launched a form of Red Indian warfare, designed to wipe out Jewish colonies in secluded parts of Palestine. Arabs living in mountain strongholds receive training in guerilla “hit and run” tactics, which have now developed into large-scale planned attacks, as manifested in the battle now raging round four isolated settlements between Jerusalem and Hebron. BRITISH TROOPS MOVE UP British troops in armoured cars moved into position along the Jerusalem-Hebron road last night after clearing road blocks and mines in an effort to relieve Jews besieged in four fortified settlements by more than 1000 Arabs, the greatest Arab force yet used in the partition hostilities. Artillery and Spitfires went into action at dawn with the object of keeping the Arabs in the hills until the Army units could reinforce the Jewish defenders. The Jews claim that their fire pinned the Arab attackers in minefields where at least 100 were killed. The Arabs dispersed quickly when British reinforcements joined those who had been trying to keep the Jerusalem-Hebron road clear ever since the Arabs first attacked at dawn yesterday.

recommended that Arab nations should occupy all Palestine with regular armies when British troops left. He said the Arab League did not recognise the United Nations-proposed Jewish state.

The league would consider the landing of an international police force in the Holy Land, before the British leave, “an unfriendly act.” and would “take steps to meet this emergency.” The Arabs had established field headquarters in Palestine, which were responsible for directing operations and handling Arab volunteers. Surrender To FBI NEW YORK, Thu. (11.30 a.m.)—A man surrendered to the FBI today to face charges in connection with the attempted shipment of 60,0001 b of TNT to Palestine. He is a New Yorker, Morris Schachter, 18, The FBI said four men also wanted were still at large and two may already have left for Palestine.

Six Spitfires made sweeps over Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Hebron, and intervening country, and tanks protocively encircled the settlements. CASUALTY LIST British military headquarters said that at least 3 Jews and 14 Arabs were killed and 24 Arabs and 9 Jews wounded in Arab attacks on the settlements. The Arabs are believed to have removed many of their dead before the Army Medical Corps arrived. Jewish casualties are also believed to be under-estimated. Snipers in Haifa today killed six Hour Arabs and two Jews) and wound-