An Israeli officer appointed by the Military Governor took over the administration of Gaza today after the Military Governor formally dissolved the Municipal Council that has been moribund for more than six weeks. The Military Governor announced that the move was temporary, pending the appointment of a new Municipal Council. He invited the public to submit the names of candidates. Gaza has long been a hotbed of terrorist activities. Its 11-man Municipal Council ceased functioning on Jan. 2 after Israeli officials ousted Mayor Ragheb el Alami for alleged neglect of his duties. Alami was accused of failure to conduct municipal affairs. The members of his council refused to carry out their duties on grounds that they would be regarded as collaborators with the Israelis. The Military Governor summoned the councilmen to his office yesterday. Only five showed up. He told them that an Israeli officer would take over their duties because it has been impossible to conduct the day-to-day affairs of the city under existing circumstances. The Gaza Municipal Council was appointed by Egyptian authorities in 1965. When Israel occupied the Gaza Strip in June, 1967, it was allowed to remain in office. The Israelis also permitted the town councils of most West Bank towns, appointed by Jordanian authorities, to continue in office. The Gaza council is the only one in any of the occupied territories that Israel has found necessary to dissolve.
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.
