Strict Check of Traffic Imposed by U.N. on Tel Aviv Port; Report Renewed Fighting

United Nations truce control officers today imposed a strict security watch on the port of Tel Aviv. Two American and two French observers took up positions along the port while other U.N. officials undertook a rigid examination of all goods and passenger traffic arriving at the port. Persons of military age were scrutinized with particular care.

The U.N. officials’ action in this city’s harbor area came at the same time that Arab truce violations were reported in Jerusalem, on the north-eastern front and to an increasing degree in the southern desert. Egyptian attacks on Jewish convoys in the Negev were reported today south of the Majdal Falujja line. Three Egyptian plane operating in the Karatiya sector bombed Jewish positions.

Although Israel’s planes did not take to the air to retaliate for the bombings, it was pointed out today by an Israeli spokesman that the Egyptian attacks have been continuing for the past three nights. “It is clear that the Egyptians are making a serious effort to halt our columns,” the spokesman said, “They are trying to take certain heights from which they could harass our convoys. We are retaliating by at-tacking Egyptian convoys and a considerable amount of artillery fire has already been exchanged. The fighting will go on until the U.N. takes the necessary action,” he added.

In the northeastern area of Israel, a new outburst of fighting flared up today when a force of Arab irregulars attacked Jewish positions between Tireh and Ramat Hakovesh, athwart the Tel Aviv-Haifa main highway, Jewish officials described the fighting as a serious truce violation.

ARAB DRIVEN OFF WITH HEAVY CASUALTIES ON CENTRAL FRONT

Striking in daylight, the large Arab force–which Israeli authorities said was well equipped with arms–made a frontal attack on a Jewish outpost whose small garrison held out until reinforcements were brought up. An Israeli Army spokesman asserted that the attackers were driven off with heavy casualties while the Jews lost one dead and two wounded. After the Arabs removed their dead, U.N. observers arrived on the scene to investigate the incident.

A second attempt by a Jewish supply convoy from Tel Aviv to get through to Jerusalem via the main highway failed again today when Arab Legion armored cars blocked the road at the Latrun Junction and the Jews were forced to turn back and later proceeded along the new, wartime-built “Burma Road.”

An official announcement disclosed that the national loan drive for $20,000,-000–which was announced when Israeli was proclaimed–has ended with the goal over-subscribed by $400,000.

John Sheringham, British “vice-consul” in Arab-held Jerusalem, today asked Israeli Attorney-General Jacob Schapira for permission to visit the four Britons detained by the government on charges of espionage, (The fifth was released in custody of his Jewish father-in-law.) Sheringham was -permitted to visit the Britons on condition that her remain in sight–but not hearing–of an Israeli policeman.