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Arabs Renewing Shelling of Jewish Positions in Jerusalem; Jewish Agency Meeting Opens

September 8, 1948
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Hostilities were renewed in Jerusalem last night and this morning following a series of bombardments of Jewish positions in southern and western Jerusalem by-Arab artillery early last night, an Israeli communique resealed this morning.

The communique listed Deir Abu Tor, Musrara and Beth Israel as well as Jewish positions along Mamillah Road as haying been targets for the Arab Legion guns. The communique added that the Jews returned the fire. No details are available on Jewish casualties.

Members of the broadened Jewish Agency executive elected by the Zionist Actions Committee last week today began meeting. The parley is scheduled to last for several days and the distribution of portfolios will be discussed today.

JERUSALEM MUNICIPALITY ASKS INCOME TAX CUT FOR CITY’S INHABITANTS

The Jerusalem municipality today appealed to Finance Minister Eliezer Kaplan to cut the general incase tax by 50 percent for Jerusalem inhabitants in view of the economic suffering which they endured as a result of the Arab siege.

The municipality also asked that traffic restrictions between the city and the rest of Israel be removed because of an adverse effect on the city’s economy and because it fosters the impression that Jerusalem is still besieged.

For the first time since the surrender of the British Mandate May 15, the city yesterday witnessed a gala gathering of notables of all communities at a reception given by the Netherlands consul general in honor of the ascent of Queen Juliana to the Dutch throne. The entire consular corps was present as well as the Israeli military governor and religious dignitaries of all faiths.

CYPRUS COURT TO HEAR CHALLENGE OF BRITAIN’S AUTHORITY TO DETAIN JEWS

There are still some 12,000 displaced Jews interned on Cyprus under a “questionable” detention order, Joshua Leibner, assistant director of the Joint Distribution Committee’s Cyprus staff, reported here today at a press conference. He said that on Sept. 16 hearings will take place on habeas corpus proceedings brought by come of the refugees challenging the law under which they are detained.

Pointing out that “we are not childish enough to think that this will secure the release of the persons who filed the applications,” Leibner said that “whoever defends the detention order will have a big job on his hands.” He reported that there were 312 infants under three months old to the camps and that babies were being born at the rate of 100 a month.

He denied that there were any plans for mass escape from the island, but said that small groups and individuals were constantly attempting it despite the severe punishment administered to those caught. He also reported that some 51,000 Perce sons have passed through the camps, including some 10,000 children.

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