Tension in Jerusalem rose suddenly today following the receipt of reports of heavy fighting in the Negev and on the central front. The wounding of seven Jewish soldiers — two of them seriously — by Arab Legionnaires who opened fire from the Old City also increased the uneasy atmosphere here.
The Israeli troops were walking in Jewish territory when they were suddenly attacked by the Legion troops. The Arabs also called on the Israelis to withdraw from the vicinity of “no-man’s-land.” When the Jews returned to their earlier positions in Israeli territory, they were once again fired on, this time with Bren guns. In this second fray, another Jewish soldier was wounded.
Communiques issued both by the Jews and the Arabs do not report whether Israeli commander in Jerusalem, Col. Moshe Dayan, protested to his Arab Legion counterpart, It. Col. Abdullah Bey el Tel, against the shootings.
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.
