Jewish forces are now in full control of the censor of Jerusalem after several days of street fighting, it was reported here tonight. However, Arab mortar shells are still falling; in the business and governmental heart the former capital of Palestine.
A Haganah commando unit last night carried out a successful raid eight miles into Lebanese territory, it was revealed here this morning. The Jewish troops blew up an important bridge over the Litani River and forced a large Lebanese force which as heading for the bridge to withdraw. One Jew was wounded and all returned to base.
Meanwhile, the Haganah has occupied now positions in the Malakia area where yesterday 200 Lebanese soldiers were killed by the Jews who halted their advance into Israel. The Jews also captured the Nebi Tousha police station, which dominates the ?uleh Valley on the road Junction between Eastern and Western Galilee.
Egyptian planes raided Tel Aviv five times today. Casualties were heavy when Mogen David hospital was hit and machine gunned. The first raid, carried out by two planes, was a complete failure because the half-dozen bombs dropped fell wide of their mark in the port area. The “Voice of Israel” radio, in an Arabic program, warned the Arab states that their cities will be bombed from the air if the war continues.
In the Jordan Valley several settlements were attacked by Iraqi and Transjordan troops and one, Gesher, was reported to have repulsed enemy infantry after rejecting a demand from the Iraqi to surrender. Arab units also failed to carry Jewish positions at Samakh, in the same area. However, they did succeed in damaging the Navarim power station, at the confluence of the Yarmuk and Jordan Rivers. The Arabs lost a number of armored vehicles in these actions. The Iraqi assert that their planes raided several settlements in eastern Palestine.
In the south, where the Egyptians have spread out over most of the area assigned to Arab Palestine, a two-day battle at the Nirim settlement was ended when the Jews counterattacked and drove the Egyptian regulars back to their base. The Arabs left 31 dead behind. The Hagarah also captured a number of Bren guns and other artillery weapons.
STERNISTS JOIN HAGANAH; EPSTEIN NAMED ENVOY TO WASHINGTON
In the Tel Aviv area units of the Irgun Zvai Leumi, which Saturday was incorporated in the Haganah, are attacking Remleh, an Arab town of some 9,000. They are reported to have penetrated part way into the town. The Stern Group-has also Joined the Haganah and its troops ere already in action. The Sternist commander was given the rank of major.
The announcement of the naming of the first diplomatic representatives of Israel was made here today by Moshe Shertok, Foreign Minister. Eliahu Epstein, formerly in charge of the Washington office of the Jewish Agency, was named first representative to the United States. Maurice Fisher will represent Israel in Paris, while the former members of the Jewish Agency in London will represent the new state there.
The government is considering the filing of formal charges of war crimes against Brigadier John B. Glubb, British commander-in-chief of the Transjordan Arab of legion, it was learned tonight. A Haganah communique stated that all the inhabitants of Kfar Etzion, men, women and children, were killed after the legion occupied the settlement after a three-day battle. Occupation took place the last day of the British Mandate over Palestine.
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.
