Negotiations between Israeli and Arab military commanders in Jerusalem will begin tomorrow for the purpose of establishing “frozen boundaries” between the respective Arab and Jewish zones, it was reported here today. The U.N. consular truce commission will participate in the discussions.
A high Israeli officer told correspondents today that at the time the cease-firs went into effect yesterday, the Arabs held only three of the total of 40 miles of the main Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway. Despite this traffic between the two cities will proceed under U.N. auspices during the truce period. The officer also revealed that in yesterday’s Arab shelling of the modern section of the city–following the breaking of the initial truce–a B’nai B’rith home for children was severely damaged, but there were no casualties.
In a sum-up of the present military situation, the Israeli officer disclosed that the Jews have recaptured Ear Tuv, 15 miles west of here, which was abandoned on May 15. Israeli forces also seized an Arab village of the same name, a railroad station and an important strategic police fort in the area which the Arabs occupied after the British withdrew from Jerusalem. The Jews now control a string of villages and strategic mountain strong points all the way from Jerusalem to the plains along the coast.
North of the main highway, the Israelis captured a number of heights over-looking the road between Latrun and Ramallah, encircling the Arab Legion garrison at Latrun. In the event of further hostilities in this area, Israeli forces could easily cut off all Arab supplies to the major base at Ramallah.
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