Evening star., 1948-04-22
ewsTakeHaifa;;
ArabsAskPeace
After Big Battle
Massacre Is Charged;
Ceose-Fire Ordered;
Hogono States Terms
BY the Associoted Press

Jews virtually seized control to-
day of Palestine's richest port
city of Haifa after heavy all
night fighting.
Arab leaders sued for peace, ask
ing British military authorities to
mediate.
1T was a massacre" said one
Arab spokesman. ut was another
Stalingrad. We were not prepared =
BY request of the British, the
Jewish military force Hagana issued
a cease-fire order shortly after noon.
Terms Given to Arabs.
A Hagana spokesman said terms
handed the Arab National Commit
tee included:
Disarmament of all Arab forces
and surrender of all arms.
Freedom of movement in all parts
of Haifa with an end to sniping and
roadblocks.
Delivery of all foreign Arab
troops to Hagana for immediate de-
portation.
Surrender of all German Nazis.
A 24-hour curfew during which
the Arab disarmament would be
carried out.
All persons to return to their
normal pursuits,
A guarantee that Arabs could
carry on their lives and work as
free and equal citizens of Haifa and
enjoy all municipal services.
The Security of Haifa outside
British zones to be maintained by
Hagana-
Hagana orders to be binding on
both Arabs and Jews.
Acceptance Indicated.
There was every indication from
Arab sources that Arab National
Committed members still in Haifa
will accept the Hagana conditions.
One Arab spokesman declared:
Many women and children in
Arab areas we're shot as they at
tempted to flee into the port area" )"
The port area is controlled by
British security forces. A Hagana
spokesman denied the accusation.
Arab casualties were only 10 per
cent of what we had expected" he
said. LAS for women and children
there just haven't been any such
thing. We deny it most emphaticaily."
The Hagana spokesman said the
Jewish attackers suffered four killed
and 80 or "a wounded. He estimated
the Arab dead'at mot more than 90"
Irgun Aids Hagana.
Hagana forces, aided by one de-
tachment of the underground organ
ization Irgun Zvai Leumi, moved
down from the all-Jewish area of
Hadar Carmel halfway up Mount
Carmel.
1--WE used mortars, Bren guns and
Sten guns in an attack which lasted
much less time than we thought
would be necessary" the spokesman
said. "One unit of Irgun was with
us. They wanted to participate and
we weren't prepared to say no."
In the course of overnight mortar
fire, women and children in mixed
and Arab sections ringing the port
area huddled in stone houses or tried
to flee into British controlled terri
tory.
The battle began early yesterday
after British security forces an
nounced they would continue to con-
troll only the port area, the British
security zone atop Mount Carmel
and a narrow residential strip be-
tween. The port area includes the
Eastern Mediterranean main oil
installations.
1900 Arabs Reported in Haifa.
A private source estimated yester-
day 1000 members of the so-called
Arab Liberation Army were in Haifa.
Hagana said today the Arabs
were warned by leaflets in Arabic
two days ago mot to let foreigners
meddle with the affairs of this
town and by their aggressive &C
tions disrupt all normal life" and
move out women, children and old
people Immediately for their safety.
Hagana said 1t repeated the
warning with loudspeaker trucks
yesterday.
British sources said leaders of
the Arab army left the city during
the night and the Arab National
Committee was trying to gain con-
troll of the Arab fighters to end
the struggle.
"It will probably take three or four
days to restore complete peace" the
Hagana spokesman said.
"a Jerusalem dispatch said 100
Arab casualties in Haifa were
1See PALESTINE, Page A-4l