Haganah Occupies Ramleh; Arabs Shell Rehavia in Jerusalem; Jewish Plane Shot Down

The Arab town of Ramleh, about 15 miles from Tel Aviv, was invaded today by strong Haganah forces, while in Jerusalem, the all-Jewish modern Rehavia section of the city was shelled for a short time by Arab mortars.

Haganah’s occupation of the all-Arab town of Ramleh was aimed at loosening Arab control of the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem road. The Jewish units searched the town for concentrations of arms and explosives used in attacking Jewish food convoys en route Jerusalem. The Jews were also hunting foreign Arab bands who have been active ?long the entire length of the major highway. After several hours the Haganah withdrew from the town but occupied several email Arab villages in the neighborhood.

A Jewish plane was shot down by British and Transjordan troops today and pilot was reported killed. The Jew was aiding Haganah forces engaged in a battle with the Arab soldiers near Kfar Etzion when the British arrived and fired on the plane.

On the Jerusalem end of the main road the Jews who were earlier reported to ire been forced out of Castel, five miles west of Jerusalem, have secured their hold the village and have expanded their operational perimeter, occupying several villages and setting up road blocks between Jerusalem and Hebron, to the south, and Ramallah, to the north. The Haganah also struck at Arab concentrations on the Western fringe of the “Arab triangle” — Nablus-Jenin-Tulkarm and blew up a bridge near Tulkarm.

At Mishmar Haemek an Arab wedge driven into the defenders lines yesterday is completely eliminated today and the Arabs were forced to retreat beyond the effective range of their own batteries, which gave the Jews their first relief from shelling in over a day. Simultaneously, the Arabs attacked four nearby Arab villages which are occupied by the Jews but were repulsed by strong counterattacks.

Near Rehovoth a British ammunition and arms train was attacked by a group of Jews. In a cafe in the town, several Jews and British soldiers clashed and one Briton was killed. The arms of several of the soldiers were stolen.

The British Army reported that the Jews had attacked Mashi Rabdin, an Arab village near Tiberias in northern Palestine. The report said that huge clouds of were Been rising over the village and that a number: of women and children had fled to Tiberias, but that some 40 women and children remained behind.

Country-wide food control in the Jewish areas as instituted today under the direction of Eliezer Perlson, vice-mayor of Tel Aviv. The control board includes representatives of local councils and municipalities, the Jewish Agency, the Jewish National Council and other national institutions.

Following last night’s statement by the Jewish Agency condemning the Irgunists and Sternists who killed about 200 Arabs, including many women and children, in capturing the Arab village of Deir Yassan, west of Jerusalem, Friday night, the Palestine Chief Rabbinate today issued a statement voicing horror at the deed. Chief Rabbis Isaac Herzog and Ben Zion Usiel lashed out at the actions of “an irresponsible Jewish minority.”