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Jews Killed in Ambush Near Jerusalem; Arabs Attempt to Storm Hadassah Hospital

March 5, 1948
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Seventeen Jews were killed in an Arab ambush today some eight miles from Jerusalem. The Jews, part of a detachment of 23 Haganah in assigned to clear the road from the Kallandia settlement, adjoining the Jerusalem airport, to Ataroth, some 12 miles from this city, were attacked by 300 Arabs.

The battle lasted four hours. At the end of that time 12 Jews had been killed, five captured and six escaped. A short time later, while the Arabs were taking their prisoners to Ramallab for questioning, British troops arrived and the Arabs ##tchered the five Jews before fleeing.It is believed that the band was the same one which shortly after midnight tempted to storm the Hadassah Hospital, stop Mt. Scopus. They were driven off by a combined force of British troops and Jewish civil guards after firing several mortar ##ells at the hospital. As the band retreated, under British mortar fire, it blew up bridge connecting Mt. Scopus with Jerusalem proper and made off in the direction of ##aroth.The heavily guarded police headquarters of Haifa was under attack ate tonight. No other details were available. Earlier, a Jewish worker vas killed Arab snipers, A British officer commanding an infantry detachment escorting the ###ker and other members of a Jewish group was killed when he went to the aid of the sicken man. A Jewish child and a man were later killed in the port city by other Arab snipers.

A British military court today convicted six Syrians captured near Rosh Pina February 2 in a battle with troops, and sentenced them to fines of 2,000 each.

Two British constables have been arrested following an inquiry into the ##ft Tuesday of 79 revolvers and rifles from a police station inside the Jaffa Gate in the old City of Jerusalem. The raid was carried out by Arabs from outside the Jail, Jewish the assistance of Arab prisoners inside.

JEWISH AGENCY WELCOMES U.N, COMMISSION ADVANCE PARTY

The six-man U.N. Palestine Commission advance party which arrived in Jerusalem yesterday was welcomed today by representatives of the Jewish Agency by telephone An Agency spokesman told a news conference that he expected personal contact between members of the party and Jewish leaders to be established within the day.

The Jewish Agency started negotiations with Revisionist, Agudah and Common leaders with a view towards having those groups represented in the Provisional council of Government which is to be set up by April 1.

The evacuation of British policeman and their families from Palestine began ##ay when a party of 35 vehicles carrying 150 persons left here en route to Haifa are they will be taken aboard the liner Franconia for the trip to England. The evacuation of police is scheduled to be completed by May 21.

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