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Britain Supplies Egyptian Army in Palestine with Military Equipment; Violates Truce

August 4, 1948
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The Israeli Government today formally accused British military authorities of a violation of the truce by supplying the Egyptian Army with military equipment which was immediately transferred to Egyptian bases inside Palestine territory.

In a complaint to the United Nations Truce Commission today, the Israeli authorities charged that on July 29, Egyptian forces received electrical, mechanical and radio equipment from British stores at Rafa, on the Egyptian-Palestine frontier. The equipment, the complaint added, was then sent to the Egyptian base at Iraq Suweidan, in the Negev.

The Egyptians continued their attacks on Israeli positions last night, according to an official communique here. The communique reported an assault on the heights overlooking the Jewish settlement of Revivim, in the Negev. Truce observers were summoned to the spot but arrived after the engagement was broken off.

The first deportation from Israel was reported today in an official communique which said that John Larson, the son of a former Swedish consul in Jerusalem who “suddenly appeared” as a member of a U.N. truce team, was banned from Israeli territory for “having been intimately involved in Palestinian politics as a pro-Arab.”

Previously, Larsen, a temporary aide to the U.N. truce commission, was warned that if he showed up in Israeli territory he would be detained. Last week, wearing a U.N. uniform, he arrived in Haifa where he was once again warned to leave Israel. Instead he made his way to Qubaba, where he was promptly arrested by Jewish authorities. His release was obtained after strong representations from the XJ.N. truce officials and he left Israel today by air.

Four members of a Special Cabinet committee on Jerusalem today left here for the Holy City to discuss the administrative status of Jerusalem under military rule with Dr. Bernard Joseph, newly-appointed military governor of the city. The four are: Minister of Interior Itzhak Gruenbaum, Minister of Communications David Remez, Minister of Social Welfare I.M. Lewin, and Minister of Agriculture Aaron Zisling.

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