FIERCE BATTLE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26769, 12 May 1948, Page 5

FIERCE BATTLE

JEWISH FORCES “ TRUMP THE TRUCE”

SUPPLY ROUTE REOPENED N.Z.P.A.—Copyright Rec. 9.55 p.m. LONDON, May 11. After one of the fiercest battles in the Palestine civil war, Jewish forces on Monday regained control of the gorge 15 miles from Jerusalem, where, for 19 days, the Arabs had cut the supply route from Tel-Aviv. The scene of fighting was Bab-el-Wad, where The Arabs had erected extensive road blocks. The Daily Telegraph’s Jerusalem correspondent says that, as the Haganah commander on the hill commanding the approaches to the gorge received the news that his forces now controlled the area he remarked to newspaper correspondents: “We have trumped the truce.” He was referring to the protracted negotiations for a truce in the Jerusalem area which have hinged upon the Arabs’ refusal to permit free use of the Tel-Aviv highway for the Jews to bring food into the city. Now it seems tnat the Jews have, decided the issue by force of arms. The battle for the road began when the Haganah secured three hilltops overlooking Bab-el-Wad. Other Haganah forces armed with Czech rifles, Bren guns, and grenades, then attacked two Arab positions along the road, and fighting spread for four miles through the Judean hills before the Arabs were driven off. New Truce Proposal A message from Cairo states that it is authoritatively learned that the United States submitted to the Arab Government a new proposal for a truce over the whole of Palestine. The proposal, which provides for the establishment of a “ neutral administration, would make the truce valid for three months, and it would be extended on a three-monthly basis. . From Reuter’s Rome representative comes word that the, Italian Air Ministry has grounded 10 Anson planes fitted with maohine-guns and owned by the Jewish terrorist forces. The planes landed in Italy after stopping at various points in Europe, where the pilots, who are reported to be mostly Irish, received cash and their latest orders from Jewish agents. It is believed that the planes were to oe flown to Tel-Aviv after May 15. Control of Port Haifa

It is officially announced in Haila that the Palestine Government and the Jewish Agency had agreed that, a mixed board comprising one Briton, one Arab and three Jews will run the port of Haifa after the mandate ends on Saturday. The Briton is present deputy manager of the port. The agreement means that the operations of the port will continue almost undisturbed when the mandate ends. A Foreign Office spokesman stated in London that illegal Jewish immigrants to Palestine who were detained would be freed when Britain surrendered the, mandate. The spokesman believed Britain would not be prepared to organise their transport to Palestine.