Acting U.N. Palestine mediator Dr. Ralph Punche today warned the Israeli and Transjordan Governments to order immediately an end to fighting in the Midya and Latrun areas and demanded that both governments reissue earlier “hold fire” order along the entire Israel-Transjordan front. Bunche called for the reestablishment of pre-truce positions.
An fficial conmmunique said today that six badly mutilated bodies of Jewish soldiers were round near Midya–about 15 miles east of Lydda–when Israeli units recaptured occurred during the first surprise attack by Iraqi troops against Jewish positions in Midya. Although the Jews were compelled to withdraw following the initial assault, Israeli reinforcements later took back the town from the Iraqi. Commenting bitterly on the report of the mutilated bodies, an official Israel spokesman said: “One would have thought that even after death, the rules of civilization applied to war casualties.”
From Jerusalem it was reported that three enemy planes, apparently Egyptian, appeared over the city today causing a one-hour alert. Jewish anti-aircraft opened fire against the planes but there was no immediate available information as to the results of the barrage. Israeli troops in Jerusalem last night dispersed enemy concentrations in several sectors of the city. Two Israeli soldiers were wounded during the night.
Reports that the Arabs planned to seize the New City in Jerusalem last week, but were thwarted by the Israeli Army, circulated here over the week-end. No comment was forthcoming from Israeli Army headquarters on these reports.
Foreign Minister Moshe Shertok paid a brief visit to Jerusalem and conferred with army leaders on the present military situation. Earlier, members of the Jerusalem Consular Truce Commission met with Israeli military governor Dr. Bernard Joseph to discuss the question of demilitarizing the city. Commission members, headed by U.S. Consul-General John J. MacDonald, also took up the question of providing relief supplies to more than 80 Jewish policemen who been stranded on Mt. Scopus for the past eight weeks.
ISRAELI STATE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER BERNADOTTE’S FINAL REPORT TODAY
Count Folke Bernadotte’s final recommendations the United Nations for resolving the Palestine dispute will be considered at a meeting of the State Council’s Foreign Affairs Committee tomorrow. Following the meeting, Foreign Minister Shertok will participate in a special closed session of the State Council. Shertok will leave for Paris in a few days to head the Israel mission to the U.N.
The government committee preparing for the forthcoming general elections decided today to establish an election board made up of all parties represented in the State Council. This would automatically exclude the Irgun’s “Freedom Movement,” which has no representation in the Council.
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