Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-07-15
Nazareth EncircIed
From Three Sides,
Israel Declares

CA1HO, July lo.-1ne Jews
said today that Israeli troops
have encircled Nazareth from
three sides and struck heavy
blows at Arab armies in the Je.
rusalem area.
Both the Jews and Arabs seemed
cool to the idea of a new United
Nations truce In their Palestine war
Jewish sources in Haifa sale
, Israeli units now were within strik.
ing distance of Nazareth, MAR
Northern Palestine base of Fawz
Pasha al Kaukji's irregular Arat
volunteer army.
A dispatch from Jewish helc
, modern Jerusalem said Israeli force.
struck triple hammer blows at Arat
armies around the Holy City in thu
IL hours ended at noon yesterday
A later report from the Arab.
controlled Old City said the Arat
Legion and tribal rifiemen of Trans.
Jordan had started a fight fol-
Mount Zion. south of the walls
Jewish positions on the mount
threaten the Arab left flank.
U. N. Council Acts Today.
The U. N. Security Council meets
at Lake Success. N. Y, today tc
take up an American proposal for q
new Palestine cease-fire within three
days. The American delegation is
hopeful of approval.
A high Israeli army officer ir
Jerusalem asked: What do we
want with truce?" An unofficial
Jewish spokesman said: I'VE will
accept any truce. of course, but we
are disheartened at the prospects
OF a United Nations truce coming
to the aid of the Arabs just when
we are beginning to get results from
our offensives."
Abdel Rahman Azzam Pasha, Sec
retary-general of the Arab League
said here the Arab countries were
not giving in to pressure put on
them by the Western powers to re-
new the four week truce that ex-
pired last Friday. He said the
pressure had been particularly
exerted on Trans-Jordan."
Three Towns Claimed.
The Jewish informants in Haifa
said the Israeli enlightenment OF
Nazareth was brought about by the
capture Tuesday night and yester-
day of Shafa 'Amr, II miles north
west of there: Ell Muieidil, 4 miles
southwest, and Elm Mahil, 3 mile:
east.
Day-long Smelling and Israeli all
action preceded final occupation OF
the three villages, they said. ano
Arab soldiers fed before the ad,
vance.
The informants added that the
Jews were closing in speedily or
Nazareth. The town, traditional
boyhood some Of Jesus, Is 1,4S0 fee
above sea level and controls ap.
breaches to the all-Jewtsh valley o.
Jeneel to the south and Liberals tt
the northeast.
The Israeli air force raided the
Nazareth Liberals road, southern
most leg of Kaukji's supply line from
Lebanon.
The dispatch from the Jewish.
held section of Jerusalem LISTED
these Israeli successes:
l. Israeli soldiers supported b.
1rgun zvai Leumi battered thei
way into the Arab bastion of Mali
ha, two and a half miles southWes
of Jerusalem. This drove the Arab
farther from Jerusalem's QUITE
edges and broadened a wedge be
tween Egyptian and Trans-Jordal
troops.
2. A special Israeli Commando
brigade captured Sara. traditional
birthplace of Samson. about l:
miles west of Jerusalem. This Gu
the Egyptian route of reinforcement
to Arabs units blocking the TIE
Aviv-Jerusalem highway. 1t alst
removed a danger spot on the fanl
OF the new detour the Jews have
cut through the mountains to by.
pass the Arab blockade.
90 The Jews poured thousands
Of shells on Arab gunposts in TIT
Old City and on Jerusalem's out
skirts. Arab Smelling of the modern
city stopped. Jewish Jerusalem
came to life again. Stores reopened
traffic picked up.
U. S. Consulate Reported Hit.
The American consulate in Jeru-
salem was reported in Cairo last
night to have been hit and damaged
slightly by two mortar shells. No
body was hurt.
A communique of the Egyptian
Defense Ministry said the Egyptian
army beat off three Jewish coun-
terattacks yesterday at Negba ane
Julis, II miles northeast of GAIA ir
the southern desert. The bulletin
listed Egyptian air raids on TIE
Aviv, nearby Aqir Airport and the
Beir Hahn settlement.