Evening star., 1948-10-21
Israel Captures
Beersheba After
Struggle
Jews to Issue Truce
Order When Told Thut
Egyptions Accept
BY the Assoeioted Press

TEL AVN. Israel, Oct. 21.-
Beersheba, mother city of the
Arabs, was occupied today by
Israeli forces after a bitter bat
tie, Jewish army spokesman
announced.
The battle ragged even as Israels
cabinet notified the United Ma
tions its troops would quit the fight
ing in the Negeb desert area Of
Southern Palestine IL hours after
it was assured by the United Ma
tions that the Egyptians also would
cease fire.
The fighting will continue mean
while, spokesman said. He indi-
Gated GAIA, capital of the Palestine
government proclaimed by the
Arabs, was among the goals of the
Israeli southern offensive.
Tel Aviv Area Bombed.
Egyptian planes bombed the Tel
Aviv area today, only a few hours
after ISraels decision on the cease
fire.
Beersheba, in South Palestine
was the southernmost extremity of
the Holy Land of Bible days.
The city is on the borderland of
the southern desert area. The name
means Seven Wells" It was re-
puted to be the scene of the digging
of the wells by Abraham and Isaac,
as recorded in Genesis. Abraham is
called the father of the Semitic
races.
Beersheba was one of the first
cities occupied by the Egyptians in
their invasion of the Holy Land, and
had been reported by the Cairo press
at the time as captured"
Israeli seizure of the city opens
the road to two Jewish settlements
which were isolated since early in
the year. They are Belt Eshel and
Nevatim.
Jewish Planes Rake GAIA.
The Israeli air force raked GAIA
and other southern towns held by
the Egyptians. Their planes also
struck at Beersheba ahead of jew
ish ground forces, bombing and
strafng Egyptian forces. Arabs
fled 70 the hills under the attacks
One of the towns evacuated by
the Arabs and now controlled by
the Jews is Belt Nattif, 10 miles
west of Bethlehem on the Egyptian
supply route to forces manning the
southern front at Jerusalem.
Belt Nattif was the scene of the
massacre of IS Jewish fighters on
their wav to relieve beleaguered
Kfar Et Zion last January. Jewish
authorities had blamed Belt Nattif
for the slaughter.
Israelis do not yet occupy the
town but they have taken the
heights around 1t and thus UNDER
mined Egyptian positions facing
southern Jerusalem, an army source
said.
In Tel Aviv, censorship banned
mention of the places struck by the
Egyptian bombing raid.
Town Bombed for 6 Nights.
Beersheba has been bombed re-
lentlessly the past six nights by
Israeli bombers.
Its capture isolates the entire
Egyptian front based on Bethlehem
and facing Jerusalem's southern
perimeter. The action also puts
pincers pressure on GAIA, pro-
claimed capital of Palestine Arabs.
A military informant pointed out
that If the Jews drive to the sea
south Of GAIA. that city and all
Arab forces north of it will be cut
off except by sea, over which Israel
has air supremacy.
GA Ministry of War and Navy
spokesman in Cairo said Egyp-
tian planes last night attacked
Zionist airports in Palestine, in
flicting considerable damage.
Fighting continued this morn
ing throughout the Negeb, this
spokesman said. A U. N repre-
sentative in Cairo said he had not
yet received any deadline for the
cease-fre order.
Egyptians Strike Back.
The Egyptians, bombed for five
days straight in the south, struck
back before dawn. Some bombs hit
inside the blacked out Israeli capi-
tai U. N. observers said no CASUAL
ties were reported. Two Egyptian
planes apparently swept over the
coastal area just after 3 am.
(Arab planes also bombed
Jewish-held Haifa in the north
before dawn, but little damage
was reported
1n Cairo, Egyptian government
spokesmen said last night the
(See PALESTINE, Page A-3D
cour of Eivn enund IInhurf