The present lull on the Egyptian front should not inspire undue optimism, British military officials declared here today praising Palestine’s contribution to the Allied war-effort in the Middle East and emphasizing that Palestine is lending its maximum support, both in men and in production, to bring about the defeat of the Axis armies.
The statement of the British military men coincided with broadcasts today from Axis countries alleging that “Washington has concluded a secret pact with England which will give the United States greater influence in the Near East.” The broadcasts, addressed in Arabic to the people of Egypt, Palestine and Syria, told the Arabs “to protect themselves against the Americans” and asserted that “Palestine and Syria will be placed under a Jewish flag, with England as guardian.”
“The present lull in Egypt,” the British military experts pointed out, “cannot be expected to last for long. The invader is not beaten and further attempts to reach the Nile Valley are likely to follow soon.”
While Axis supply routes have been subjected to heavy air attacks, it is believed here that only a small proportion of Axis ammunition and gasoline has been destroyed by aerial bombing. Trucks, it is explained, are small targets and can move almost anywhere in the desert, and there are no bridges and few defiles on which transport has to converge. The long-range action of American army bombers against Benghazi, Tobruk and Sollum has proven, however, to be very effective, it was emphasized.
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.
