SECOND STALINGRAD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26778, 22 May 1948, Page 7

SECOND STALINGRAD

Jews Refuse to Leave Homes in Jerusalem

New Zealand Press Association—Copyright,

Rec. 11 p.m. LONDON, May 21 King Abdullah told Arab military leaders in Amman that Jerusalem was “ a second Stalingrad,” and that the Jews refusing to surrender their homes, which w taking a terrible battering from Transjordan forces in Jerusalem. King Abdullah, according to the Arab newspaper A 1 Ahran, added that the military situation in Palestine generally was satisfactory and warranted great optimism.

Arab Legion leaders in the Old City of Jerusalem said last night that, unless their surrender terms were accepted by the 500 Haganah, Irgun, and Stern Gang fighters trapped inside the Old City’s Jewish quarter, Arab artillery and mortars would reduce the Jewish quarter. Arab Legion forces during the night heavily shelled the Jews holding out in Hadassah Hospital and the Jewish University in Jerusalem, according to a Haganah communique. The legion isolated both buildings when it captured the Sheikh Jarrah quarter yesterday.

The battle for Jerusalem is growing fiercer with about 40.000 Arab Legion and Arab irregular forces in and around the city pouring heavy fire on the 4000 Jewish troops in the city. The Arab Legion is driving towards Mount Scopus, which dominates the Old City. The Jews, entrenched in the Hebrew University and the Hadassad Hospital, are fighting fiercely under a heavy artillery bombardment. The Arabs are pouring reinforcements into the old walled city through St. Stephen’s Gate, which opens on the road to Jericho. The Jews are sending reinforcements from Mount Zion. Jewish Counter-attack The Jews appear to be preparing a counter-attack on the northern approaches at -the Sheikh Jarrah. quarter, but the Arab Legion is bringing up reinforcements to cover this threat. Reuter’s correspondent with the Arab Legion in Jerusalem says the Arab Legion drove deeper into Jerusalem last night from the north *md east. Jewish forces during , street fighting used subterranean tunnels as defence links in the Old City. Arab irregulars to-night stormed the Israel Synagogue, a Jewish strongpoint, and the defending troops fell back to the House of David Synagogue, where’ they may make a last stand in the Old City. A later report said that Arab Legion units have? driven through the Old City of Jerusalem to the Zion Gate on the south-west side of the walled city, thus sealing off the Jewish section from the rest of the Jews in Jerusalem. The Arab Legion communique said the legion was making rapid progress in Jerusalem following the occupation of the Sheikh Jarrah quarter as far as the Damascus Gate and ’that the retreating Jews were suffering heavy losses. Legion artillery continues shelling the Jewish quarter of Jerusalem and a Jewish arms and explosives dump was hit. Legion artillery also shelled a Jewish convoy on the Jaffa-Jerusalem road. The left wing of King Abdullah’s forces is believed to be approaching Hebron and may link soon with the right wing of the Egyptian forces advancing from Beersheba. Important Centre Captured The left wing of the Egyptian Army captured Deir Suneid after a 10-hour batik in which the Egyptians used p.anes and artillery. A Cairo report states that Deir Suneid was the main Jewish supply and dispersal centre for men, arms and munitions for their southern Palestine settlements. An Egyptian Army statement says it was heavily fortified and ringed by pill-boxes surrounded by barbed-wire entanglements and minefields spread over a wide area. The Jewish military command in Tel-Aviv said the enemy attacked Yad Mordecai, a settlement north of Gaza with tanks, artillery and infantry. The enemy also attacked Bagania settlement, south of the Sea of Galilee with tanks, armoured cars and planes. Arab Leaders Meet The Associated Press Beirut correspondent: says it is learned that the Presidents of Lebanon and Syria, the Regent of Iraq, and King Abdullah of Transjordan are meeting at Daraa, Syria. The meeting, it is believed, has an important bearing on the status of The Lebanese authorities took off at pistol point 69 passengers from the ship Marine Carp when it called at Beirut yesterday. A Lebanese Government communique said the Marine Carp carried 69 Zionists in possession of arms and radio transmitters, and they were consequently imprisoned. In Washington, the State Department said the removal of Palestine-bound Jews from the American ship Marine Carp was carried out over the objections of the American Minister there. | Further information was being awaited I before any decision was taken on the l sending of a formal protest to the I Lebanese Government.