Israel Army patrols today entered the strategic Arab town of Jenin, northernmost point of the Tulkarm-Nablus-Jenin “triangle,” and found it completely deserted by its defenders, a bulletin from. Army headquarters here announced this afternoon. In the southwestern area of the triangle, large numbers of Arab civilians have been observed fleeing the area following capture of Qaqun, north of Tulkarm, by the Jews two days ago.
Earlier, reports reaching here from the northern front stated that a large Syrian, force which yesterday crossed the Israeli frontier in the Huleh region has be thrown back across Jordan River. Yesterday these Arab units ousted the Jews from Malkieh, on the Lebanese border, and laid siege to Mishmar HaYarden.
The Tel Aviv headquarters of the U.N. Palestine mediator were bombed and severely damaged today as Egyptian planes intensified their bombing of the Israeli capital, raiding it four times within six hours. No U.N. personnel was injured, because the staff had not yet arrived at work this morning when the first raid took place. A United Nations flag was flying over the building at the time of the raid.
In another raid many bombe were dropped on the crowded streets and market places of the Israeli capital, killing nine persons and wounding 20 others. After the bombers completed their runs over the city, escorting Spitfires swooped down and machine-gunned men, women and children in the streets. One Spitfire was shot down by Jewish anti-aircraft fire.
The Egyptians bombed Rehovoth yesterday during their desperate attempts to free a large column of infantry and tanks from a Jewish trap at Ishdud, southwest of Rehovoth. They were also reported to have reinforced the column from the sea. The Egyptians also laid siege to and captured the Jewish settlement of Nizzanim, between Majdal and Ishdud. The settlement fell after an all-day battle. An Israeli communique disputed Egyptian claims to having killed over 100 Jews at Nizzanim. The Jews said there were 30 casualties and 100 Jews were taken prisoner.
More than 600 Jewish prisoners from the settlements in the Kfar Etzion area and other Jewish villages overrun by the Arab Legion are still imprisoned in Transjordan, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency learned today from members of a group of 87 Jewish women released by the Arabs in the Tulkarm area yesterday and brought to Tel Aviv. The women were exchanged for Arab women prisoners held by the Jews.
The former captives, who brought back two Torahs saved from the ruins of Kfar Etzion, also reported that the Jewish prisoners east of the Jordan were in comparatively good health and had organized communal life within their prison camp.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
