Jordan Village Reported Attacked by Israelis; Ten Arabs Killed

The Jordan Government met in emergency session today following an alleged attack at midnight by Israelis on the Jordan village of Nahalin–three miles inside Jordan, near Bethlehem, in which 10 Arabs were said to have been killed and 16 wounded, it is reported here from Amman.

The report says that United Nations truce supervision chief Gen. Vagn Bennike sent four UN observers to the scene of the incident. According to the report, Jordan alleges that an Israel task force tried to plant mines and explosives in Arab houses, but the Jordanian National Guard, fortified by Arab Legion forces, forced the Israelis to withdraw under heavy fire. The battle lasted for 90 minutes, the report from Amman says.

(In Washington, the State Department announced officially today that it “deeply regrets the loss of life” in the reported Israel attack on Nahalin and is waiting for further information before making further comment. A State Department spokesman said that reports received in Washington on this new incident are not yet complete enough to make further comment. He said reports have been received from the American Embassies in Amman and Tel Aviv but no action will be taken pending a report on the findings of the Mixed Armistice Commission.)

A radio broadcast from Amman said that the Jordanian authorities estimate that the attack was carried out by about 200 men coming from the direction of Israel. The broadcast claimed that the attackers mined the approaches to Nahalin, preventing Arab Legion reinforcements from reaching the village. It added that residents of other Arab villages in the neighborhood are fleeing from their homes.

Nahalin village is known to be the hideout of Arabs responsible for the killing several days ago of a Jewish watchman at the Israeli village of Kissalon. It is also famous for its role in the anti-Jewish riots of 1929, during which many Jews were massacred by Arabs.