The Arab states split wide open today over the issue of continuing the truce in Palestine, with most of the Arab states aligned against King Abdullah of Trans Jordan and determined to press hostilities despite Abdullah’s efforts to prolong the truce and maintain his position in the Jerusalem area, it was learned here.
A series of rapid-fire developments have shaken the united Arab League front as rival fears and Jealousies of the Arab rulers overcame their desire to destroy the Jewish state. The developments are:
1. Abdullah, following an extensive exchange of correspondence between Brig. John Bagot Glubb Pasha, commander of his Arab Legion, and British Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin, now wants a prolongation of the truce. A Trans Jordan emissary has made contact with the Jewish commander of the Jerusalem area with a proposal for an immediate truce for all of Jerusalem.
2. Abdullah sent a sharp protest to King Farouk of Egypt bitterly complaining of Egypt’s premature renewal of hostilities in Palestine one day before the end of the truce.
3. The Lebanese, Syrians, Egyptians and Iraqi immediately informed Abdullah that they proposed to continue the war whatever agreement the Trans Jordan ruler might make with U.N. mediator Count Folke Bernadotte, or with the Security Council. They added that they would refuse to recognize any arrangement made by Abdullah regarding the future status of Palestine territory.
4. To reinforce this decision, the Lebanese Government has appointed Fawji el Kaukuji, commander of the irregular “Arab Liberation Army,” as commander-in-chief of all Lebanese armed forces and has incorporated the entire liberation force into its army.
5. Kaukuji is” now working closely with the ex-Mufti of Jerusalem, bitter enemy of Abdullah, According to information here, plans are underfoot to proclaim an independent Palestine Arab government as soon as Abdullah moves to accept some kind of arrangement with Bernadotte or the Security Council.
It is understood that these plans of the Kaukuji-Mufti combination are being actively supported by the Egyptians who are making an all-out drive to occupy that part of the Negev which Bernadotte’s plans would have ceded to Abdullah.
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