18 Jews Among 46 Killed in Italian Air Raid on Haifa; ‘quake Hits City

Palestine today mourned the death of 46 persons in yesterday’s Italian air raid on this port city, with further fatalities expected among 88 wouded, some of whom were in critical condition.

Moshe Shertok, head of the Jewish Agency’s Political Department, came to Haifa today from Jerusalem to visit families of the victims, 18 of whom were Jews, and to inspect scenes of the bombing Funeral services for the dead were completed at dusk yesterday, amid pathetic scenes on the streets.

Tense over the second air raid within ten days, this port city was further jarred when a brief earthquake rocked the city at 2 a.m. The tremor caused no damage, it was announced.

The raid occurred yesterday morning when ten bombers swooped over the city’s eastern suburbs from the south-west, dropping approximately 100 bombs before the attackers were driven off by heavy, accurate anti-aircraft fire. Most of the bombs plunged into the sea.

However, one bomb hit a street, instantly killing a truck driver. Another struck a fishing boat offshore, killing two Arab fishermen. A third landed on Iraq Petroleum Company property , causing some damage. The bombardment started some fires.

Five policemen were among the fatalities. Almost all of the Jews killed were employes of the oil company. The Jewish fatalities included Leo Weksler, 35; Moshe Glik, 31; Isaac Raik, 28; Johanna Engelstein, 22, Genia Shlesinger, 64; Mali Kish, 21; Isaac Edni, 30; Feivel Finkelstein, 23; Abraham Poleski, 28; Joseph Kotgan, 30; Jehuda Fleischer, 36; Peretz Frank, Joel Holstein, Meir Papiergeister, Mordecai Pileshzcuk, Chaim Levi and one Jew and one Jewess unidentified.

The first air raid on Haifa occurred on July 15, but the casualties and damage then were comparatively slight. Haifa is an important Mediterranean port and terminus of the pipeline from the Iraq oil fields.