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Enemy Plane Appears over Tel Aviv; Israel Government Protests Action of U.N. Observers

August 17, 1948
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The first alert since the second truce started four weeks ago was sounded this afternoon in Tel Aviv when an unidentified airplane appeared over the city. An all-clear signal was given after ten minutes. It is assured that the plane was Egyptian.

The appearance of the craft, which follows the heaviest day of fighting in Jerusalem since the truce became effective, was taken as an indication here that the Arabs intend to continue their military operations. Arab snipers resumed firing today on Jewish convoys on the road to Jerusalem.

The Israeli Government today issued a memorandum accusing United Nations truce observers of refusing to allow an Israeli liaison officer to travel with a convoy to Jerusalem which was proceeding under U.N. auspices. As a result, the convoy was turned hack to Tel Aviv and, reached Jerusalem over the “Burma Road.”

Jewish technicians started repair work today on the Latrun water pumping station which was wrecked by the Arabs last week. Their task consists primarily of establishing whether it is possible to repair the station so as to pipe water to Jerusalem.

ISRAELI ENVOY TO USSR TO LEAVE FOR MOSCOW NEXT SUNDAY

Israeli envoy to the Soviet Union, Mrs. Golda Meirson, announced at a farewell party given by the Mapai in her honor that she will probably leave for Moscow next Sunday. Mordecai Hemirowski-Namir has been appointed counselor to the Israeli legation in the Soviet capital.

Thousands of persons today attended a public meeting arranged by the Soviet-Israeli Friendship Association here on the occasion of the arrival of the Russian envoy to the Jewish state. Among the speakers who addressed the gathering was Dr. Moshe Sneh, former member of the Jewish Agency executive, who represented the Mapam, the workers Unity Party.

The Israeli diplomatic mission to Rumania will be accredited also to Bulgaria and Hungary, it was learned here today. Consular offices will, however, be opened in those two countries. Similarly, the Israeli mission in Czechoslovakia will also be accredited to Austria and Yugoslavia, until such time as the latter two name their own missions to Israel.

Jews in Israel read with great interest today the disclosure yesterday in Jerusalem that Sheikh Yussef Abu Cosh, who leads a village in the Jerusalem area, fought alongside the Storm Group members for three years, freed Geulah Cohen–one of the dissident group’s most popular members, who broadcasts on their underground radio, from a British Jail–and participated in the bombing of the British Criminal Investigation Department building three years ago At a press interview, the Sheikh pledged friendship to the state of Israel and vowed he and his men would continue to fight for the Jewish state’s freedom and to “rid Palestine of the British yoke.”

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