HEAVY FIGHTING NEAR BETHLEHEM

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26731, 29 March 1948, Page 5

HEAVY FIGHTING NEAR BETHLEHEM

New Zealand Press Association—Reuter-—Copyright Rec. 11,p.m. JERUSALEM, Mar. 28. Four Jewish planes bombed 350 Arabs who were attacking a Jewish convoy of 30 vehicles near Bethlehem, south of Jerusalem. Arab mines wrecked two of the Jewish lorries and the remainder came under heavy fire. Arab fire disabled a British armoured car and other British forces were ordered to the scene. The Jewish convoy was returning from Kfar and Zion to Jerusalem. The planes are believed to be four of the 21 surplus Auster spotter planes which the Haganah bought. The pilots appeared to be bombing Arab units by hand. An Arab commando leader claimed that the Jewish convoy, which had been delivering food to Jewish settlements in the Hebron hills, was wiped out, and he estimated the Jewish casualties at about 80.

The Chief Rabbi, Dr Herzog, in a broadcast, said the Holy City was facing “ imminent catastrophe.” The Rabbi said that the nations which during the United Nations discussions were so concerned over the Holy City’s fate, had not raised a finger to guard it against danger, neither had the great Christian leaders made an effort to protect it.

An earlier message from Jerusalem, dated November 26, reported that a Jewish Agency spokesman suggested that 10,000 Danish and' Norwegian troops now stationed in Northern Germany should garrison Jerusalem when the British mandate expires on May 5. The spokesman added that this would prevent the forthcoming “battle of Jerusalem,” guarantee life and property, and protect the holy places of all religions. “It is our duty to warn the world of what may happen in Jerusalem through no fault of the Jews if something is not done.’’ Abdul Kadar Nurseini, commander of the Arab forces in Jerusalem, has ordered the Arabs to intensify their war against Zionism. “Do not be swayed by temporary political triumphs. This is our opportunity to get the whole of Palestine by military action,” he said. . , Tacit Truce Observed Reuter’s correspondent says the Arabs and Jews observed a tacit truce in Jerusalem to-day while a procession of Roman Catholic clergy and a few hundred laymen walked the Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross) through the narrow cobbled streets of the Old City. The procession was small compared with other years. No British troops participated. Elsewhere in Palestine six Jews and four Arabs were killed to-day. British troops found the bodies of 16 Jews killed by Arabs in an attack when thev cleared road blocks in the Bab el Wad area between Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv. The Jewish police foiled an attempt bv 40 armed men to rob Barclay's Bank in Jaffa road to-day. They cordoned off the area and arrested some of the raiders. Mails Suspended

The Palestine Post Office’s announcement that certain mails will be suspended next month has provoked strong Jewish criticism that the Government is acquiescing in chaos after the British mandate ends, and even before, says The Times Jerusalem correspondent. The Post Office reply is that it asked the United Nations Commission to accept responsibility for continuing the mails after the mandate, but. “as the responsibility was not accepted by the commission, the Post Office had no alternative but to begin the suspension of services.’ The correspondent’s comment is that in this, as in many other issues, Palestine is falling between two stools— Britain’s determination to end her responsibilities, and the inability of the United Nations to take them up.