What Now In Palestine?

Wanganui Chronicle, 9 January 1947, Page 5

What Now In Palestine?

RUMOURS OF A TRUCE BRITISH NO LONGER WILL TURN THE OTHER CHEEK

Recd. 7.45 p.m. London, Jan. 8.

“The Tinies” Jerusalem correspondent says the series of searches and interrogations which were begun because of the flogging of British service personnel nine days ago, now have been completed. Their success has been no greater than expected.—a comparatively insignificant number of terrorists have been caught and small quantities of arms discovered.

No concrete gains beyond these were looked for. The ,object and cause of the operations lay in the fact that it was necessary to show that the British Army and authority could not be mocked, and also if the Administration had not acted then the troops themselves would probably have done so.

The question everyone is now asking, more urgently than ever, is: What happens next? Hardly anyone believes the terrorists will stay quiet, although they may hold their hand somewhat until the army relaxes a little. Whatever the terrorists do the army will react. No longer will the administration turn the other cheek, but how far they will go and how far the civil branch of the Government will turn affairs over to the military branch depends on the provocation that the terrorists give.

Reports were circulating in Jerusalem last night that a truce had been agreed upon by terrorists, both the Irgun Zval Leumi and the Stern Gang. “The Times” correspondent in Jerusalem says the reports must be treated circumspectly, but should not be ignored. It adds that a truce would make the immediate task of the Administration easier, but obviously could not be relied on.

The “Daily Express” correspondent in Rome reports that Professor Smertenko, vice-president of the American League for Free Palestine, is flying to London to-morrow to challenge the British' Government’s decision to exclude him from Britain. •