DEFINITE INTENTIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26748, 17 April 1948, Page 7

DEFINITE INTENTIONS

DEPARTURE FROM PALESTINE BRITISH TROOPS LEAVING IN AUGUST N.Z.P.A.—Copyright Rec. 10 p.m. NEW YORK, Apl. 15. There was no possibility that British troops would remain in Palestine after August 1, said the British Colonial Secretary, Mr Arthur Creech-Jones, oh his arrival in New York to-day to attend the United Nations sittings on Palestine He told reporters: “ I hope they will be out before the first. Make it quite clear —we are not staying on. We have had enough.” The Jewish Agency’s political officer, Moshe Shertok, told the Security Council to-day that the agency wouid not accept a Palestine truce if it interfered with Jewish plans to establish an autonomous Government on May 16. Consequently he demanded amendments to the clause in the. Big Fives’ draft resolution calling a halt to political activity in Palestine. He also insisted on a provision for the immediate expulsion of all Arab armed bands from other countries. Shertok objected to the proposal that execution of the truce be entrusted to Britain, and opposed the ban on immigration. „ .... The Arab Higher Committee for Palestine did not commit itself, but an Arab spokesman on the Council said he would accept the truce plan with some iron-clad conditions. The Council finally adjourned until to-morrow night after Mr Andrei Gromyko (Soviet) declared that he had not received instructions on how to vote on the proposal. It has been reported to the United Nations that the food situation in Palestine is precarious. Precautions in Palestine Meanwhile in Jerusalem a Jewish spokesman stated that 200 public air raid shelters will be built in Jerusalem “ because of the possibility of Arab air raids.” A Cairo message states that an Arab official said that the Arab League Political Committee had. decided to establish an air force to take part in the Palestine campaign. The planes would use airfields outside Palestine. The Arab League Political Committee has sent General Ismail Sawfat Pasha, inspector-general of the Arab “Liberation Army,” by special plane to relieve Fawzi el Kaukp, whose 2000 Arab troops Haganah forces have ujjmmtmnmmmmmmmnmwwuuu

isolated in Mishmar Haemek, a village near Jerusalem. It is reported that 2000 Jewish fighters have encircled Fawzi el Kaukji’s army. , , The Transjordan Foreign Minister, Fawzi. Mulki Pasha, indicated that the Transjordan Arab Legion would intervene if Kaukji was unable to extricate his force. A later message says the Haganah force over-ran seven Arab villages near Mishmar Haemek in a counter-thrust which routed Fawzi el Kaukji’s forces. One Jewish source said: “It is a personal defeat for Kaukji, whose own unit was forced to withdraw. It added that the Iraqi field commander of the Arabs was killed during the fighting.