Egyptian Shelling of Negev Settlement Only Military Activity Reported on Yom Kippur

An official communique said today that the only military activity during Yom Kippur was Egyptian artillery shelling of the settlement of Beeroth Yitzhak, east of Gaza, in the Negev.

Country-wide blackout exercises will be repeated in Israel tonight and stricter enforcement of the practice “operation blackout” will be undertaken, it was reported here today.

Nathan Friedman-Yellin and M. Senmalevitz were formally charged today with being leaders of a terrorist organization. They were informed of the charges at an undisclosed place of detention, where they are being hold under the Emergency Defense Regulations. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment.

Friedmen-Yellin was also charged with the possession of a store of arms found in his home. Michael Kaplan, of Haifa, and Edith Moravzuva were charged with aiding the two defendants, who were seized lest month in Haifa after the government instituted a widespread hunt for the assassins of Count Bernadotte.

ISRAELI MILITARY POLICE TO FACE COURT MARTIAL FOR STERNIST JAILBREAK

A military court investigating the Sternist Jailbreak in Jaffa last Saturday today found a number of Military police officers and N.C.O.’s guilty of dereliction of duty and ordered them dishonorably discharged from the Israeli Army. The M.P.’s will stand trial before a court martial. According to unofficial reports, the number of persons involved in the court martial will be 76.

The first Yom Kippur observed in Tel Aviv since the proclamation of Israeli statehood was marked by a complete stoppage of normal activities. Synagogue services throughout the city were attended by overflow crowds. An explosion in the northern part of the city a few hours before the end of the Day of Atonement led to false reports that enemy aircraft were operating in that area. The cause of the blast has not yet been determined.

Prospects for reaching an agreement between the Irgun-sponsored Freedom Movement and the World Revisionists Federation improved greatly during the past 48 hours as a result of negotiations between representatives of the two groups. Basis for the proposed agreement is reported to be an understanding that the Freedom Movement will function only in Israel and will delegate representatives to the Israeli Parliament, while the Revisionists will carry on the groups’ programs overseas. Both groups have expressed the hope that a pact between them will. be signed shortly.

Premier David Ben Gurion and Finance Minister Eliezer Kaplan today welcomed a delegation from the American Red Mogen Dovid for Palestine. The deputation, now visiting Israel, was introduced to the Israeli officials by U.S. special representative James G. McDonald, who pointed out that non-Jews as well as Jews donated blood to the Red Mogen Dovid in the United States. Ben Gurion asserted that he was “always impressed with the work of the Magan David Adom,” particularly during the fighting period, and voiced the hope that the organization will soon. become an instrument of peace in Israel’s development.

The State Council, at a meeting this evening, took up the question of the Israeli budget. The Council will meet tomorrow in closed session to discuss foreign policy. Although there is virtual agreement on most of Israel’s relations with abroad, there are differences of opinion regarding the future status of Jerusalem.

The Communist newspaper “Kol Hesm” (Voice of the people) reported today that the Jewish Communist Party of Palestine and the Arab league for National Liberation had merged. In a joint declaration, the paper reported, the two gorge said that the merged movement supports the U.N. partition repletion, providing for the establishment of two separate states in Palestine bond together by economic union.