Fighting Flares Up in Jerusalem; Arabs Try to Seize Jewish Suburb; Other Areas Raided

Fighting flared up in Jerusalem today when Egyptian troops, established in new commanding positions near the Government House — the Red Cross demilitarized enclave — tried to advance across "no-man’s land" towards a Jewish suburb. Israeli troops guarding positions in the suburb of northern Talpioth drove them off with vigorous fire.

Jerusalem’s unsettled truce, which was fairly well-observed on Monday and yesterday, was shattered during the night and early morning hours as three southern suburbs — Mekor Chaim, Ramat Kachel and southern Talpioth — came under heavy Arab shell fire from the direction of Beit Safafa and the Mar E1ias Monstery Hill.

The Israeli announcement reported that hand grenades were thrown from Arab positions within the Old City walls at Jewish troops holding out in the Mt. Zion area outside the ancient quarter’s environs. Jewish positions in the area of the New Gate were subjected to automatic and artillery fire from the region of the Damascus Gate.

In Northern Jerusalem, the Meah Sheraim and Beit Israel quarters came under three-inch mortar fire. Jewish forces returned the Arabs’ fire and silenced several Arab positions, the Army communique said. At least one Jewish soldier was killed by Arab snipers in a battle area in the eastern sector of the Holy City. One Arab soldier is also known to have been killed in the sporadic skirmishes.

Addressing the Zionist Actions Committee last night, Premier David Ben Gurion called for a mobilization of all resources "for the final victory." He said the worst battles were yet to come, since "30,000,000 Arabs in six countries would not easily reconcile themselves to defeat at the hands of 750,000 Jews."