The U.N. Palestine mediator’s chief of staff was reminded today by the Israeli Foreign Office that an Israeli request for information regarding the posting of U.N. truce observers in Arab countries has gone unanswered. The reminder note posited out “although we are now in the sixth week of the second truce, we still know nothing of truce supervision in the Arab countries.”
The mediator’s chief of staff also received a message today from the head of the Israeli liaison mission to the United Nations, calling the U.N.’s attention to six reports emanating from various military quarters concerning alleged Arab preparations in violation of the truce agreement. The memorandum cited the following reports:
1. A fresh Egyptian brigade has teen transferred from Egypt to the southern front, during the last few weeks.
2. Arabs residing in the Negev are being recruited for special units under command of Egyptian military officers.
3. An Iraqi battalion was recently transferred from Iraq to Mafrak, strategic Transjordan-Iraq base situated across the Jordan Just inside Transjordan territory.
4. Large shipments of arms and munitions, brought into Syrian ports from abroad, have reached the Arab base at Kafar Kassen, located not far from Ras el Ain.
5. A number of large guns have been moved from the Syrian to the Lebanese front.
6. Several Syrian battalions have been transferred from Syria to stations in Upper Galilee.
In a subsequent letter to the U.N. representative, the Israeli Foreign Ministry wrote: “We understand that there is no supervision whatever on-railway and highway traffic from Egypt to Palestine. Our chief of staff has expressed surprise that U.N. observers have not yet begun to check cargoes and reinforcements arriving by rail from Egypt or inspecting vessels known to make ports of call at Gaza and other points. We insist that this movement of war materiel and troops atop immediately and we would appreciate knowing as soon as possible what measures have been taken towards this,” the letter said.
An Irgun radio broadcast last night said: “Our informant in London has advised us that Brig. John B. Glubb Pasha, Arab Legion commander, met with Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin and has been appointed to a high post as Bevin’s adviser. Glubb told Bevin that the war in Palestine will start again soon. Then, Bovin’s advisers asked what weapons wore needed by the Arabs.
“Glubb replied — one squadron of fighters, one of seaplanes, 2,000 trucks, and twenty to twenty-five 105 mm. cannon with 500 shells each, the broadcast continued.
The Legion commander then advised that if it is impossible to ship arms via Turkey, “Britain should send the arms to British stations in the Suez zone from where they will be turned over to the Egyptians for forwarding to the other Arab states, “the broadcast added.
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.
