The Israeli Army’s general staff tonight issued orders to commanders on all fronts to fight Jack wherever the Arabs violate the United Nations truce and to observe the cease-fire strictly wherever the Arabs do.
The order came after a day of continuous Arab violations of the truce, particularly in the north and on the central front. Syrian and guerrilla units were active on the northern fronts, while Iraqi and other guerrilla units of Fawzi Kaukuji’s Liberation Army” were pressing attacks in the central area. Minor Arab activity was also reported on the southern front.
Meanwhile, an Israeli Government spokesman declared that except for Jerusalem no U.N. truce observers are yet on duty in Palestine. He revealed that of all j the cease-fire breaches the heaviest and most serious are those committed by the Syrians in the north. Asserting that the Israelis consider themselves “at liberty to attack Syrian troops wherever they are,” the spokesman added: “The Jewish army command is determined not to cease fighting until the Syrians have been taught their lesson.”
Disclosing that Syrian attacks have cost the Jews a number of casualties and the loss of at least one strategic position, the spokesman said that the Israeli Army has opened an attack on the Mishear Hayarden bridgehead–held by the Syrians–in order to relieve the pressure against Jewish positions elsewhere.
Syrian attacks were particularly heavy on Tel Azizia, on the northwestern border of Syria and Israel where fighting has been raging since before the truce came into effect. Syrian artillery also shelled the Jewish settlements of Shaar Hagolan and Massada, on the southern shore of the Sea of Galilee, last night, as well as the village of Ein Gev, on the eastern shore of the Sea. An attempt to recapture the Suseita hill, overlooking Ein Geb, was repulsed by the Jews. A Syrian plane bombed the Jewish-held village of Quaqun, northeast of Tulkarm.
IRAQI ATTACK SOUTH AND EAST OF HAIFA; EGYPTIANS REGROUP ON SOUTHERN FRONT
The Iraqi attacks today took place at a number of points on the central coastal plain from Zichron Yaachov, about 20 miles south of Haifa to the Tulkarm area. Other battles were fought with guerrilla units and Iraqi troops north of Jenin. On the northern coast of Nahariah, about 20 miles above Haifa, the inhabitants were alerted when an Arab plane flew overhead, but no bombs were dropped.
It was officially reported that the Iraqi attacked Ramath Harkovesh, Kfar Hess, Midgal Zedek and Ras el Ain–all northeast of Tel Aviv in the Haifa-Tulkarm sector. On the battlefield at Maanit, halfway between Zichron Yaacov and Tulkarm, the Arabs left a score of bodies when they were finally beaten off this evening after an attack which lasted from last night through this afternoon. The Iraqi shelled Zraim, in the Gilboa Mountains.
On the southern front the Egyptians made a determined but unsuccessful, attempt to regain Biras Luj which the Jews seized before the truce. Otherwise, the southern front was fairly quiet, However, the Egyptians have been regrouping and maneuvering in front of Hatta and Earatia, two towns which the Jews captured before the truce and which opened the supply route to the Jewish settlements in the Negev.
Before the truce came into effect Jewish forces penetrated to about 20 miles northeast of Nazareth and captured Lubia, a strategic village lying athwart the Haifa-Tiberias road. With this move and the seizure of several other villages in the area the Jews established full control of the highway between the port city and all-Jewish Tiberias, the chief city of Eastern Galilee, At Ein Razel, south of Haifa, the Jews and the Iraqi were locked in combat, with the Israelis attempting to clear all Arabs from any section of the Haifa-Tel Aviv road network.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
