Four hundred and twenty Arab prisoners of war are being held in a camp in the former Arab village of Jelil, adjoining Herzlia, some 10 miles north of here, it was officially disclosed today.
The Arabs, all Moslems and almost all ex-combatants, are penned within an enclosure consisting of five concentric barbed wire fences. The officers are kept in a separate area. All the POW’s wear khaki coveralls distinctively marked with a large diamond-shaped cloth badge.
Clothing, shaving equipment and other daily necessities are provided by the camp administration in accord with the Geneva Convention. The daily food ration is equivalent to 2,500 calories. Among the civilian prisoners is Rasem Yomis Husseini, one of the myriad of cousins of the ex-Mufti of Jerusalem.
The guards at the camp are all Sternists, under command of their own officers, although the Israeli high Command is responsible for the overall set-up. The Sternists were placed in charge of the camp primarily because they are more familiar with Arabs and because they have had considerable prison and interrogation experience.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
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.