Jerusalem Suffers Heavy Arab Shelling Six Jewish Casualties Reported; Haifa Alerted

Jerusalem was subjected to heavy Arab shelling today. Six Jewish casualties were reported. A house situated in “no-man’s land” was also blown up.

Air raid sirens sounded in Haifa and Rehovoth today and anti-aircraft guns went into action. There were no further details of the incidents.

The Consular Truce Commission professed today to have no knowledge of the presence of British troops on Jerusalem’s Mount of Olives, as charged by Israeli authorities.

Rene Neuville, French Consul-General and chairman of the commission, added that the body had no confirmation of any preparation for the arrival of Britons. “If they should arrive,” he commented, “it would be a grave breach of the United Nations truce on the part of the Arabs and also on the British side. The Truce Commission will do everything in its power to prevent such a breach.

“France firmly supports the internationalization of Jerusalem.” he continued, “which is the sole solution for safeguarding the Holy Place of three great religions In the frame of such a solution, France expects to assume a special moral position which has been held by her throughout history, without any political ambition.” France is prepared to send police to carry out demilitarization in the Negev, provided the United Nations so decide, he added.

Plans for the revival of Jerusalem were outlined here by Rabbi Zeev Gold, her of the Jewish Agency’s department for developing this city. Rabbi Gold based his program on bringing new immigrants into Jerusalem, on restoring old industries and establishing new ones. He advocated the promotion of the city’s famous stone cutting industry and the encouragement of use of the product abroad as cornerstones for Jewish buildings and as tombstones.