Evening star., 1948-05-30
IsvoeI's Army Tries
To Open Supply Road
To Besieged City
By the Assooioted Press

a battle for all of Jerusalem to-
day with an attack on the mod
ern section and the Israeli army
reported Egyptian troops had
driven up the Palestine coast to
a point within 20 miles of Jaffa,
Tel Aviv's neighbor city.
Phe Egyptians, striking out from
GAIA, reached the vicinity Of 1sdud
village, two miles short of the bor-
ders of the state of Israel, Tel
Aviv communique said. This was
an advance of 10 miles from the
Egyptian position in midWeek, when
King Farouk's troops were reported
meeting Jewish resistance. lndlca-
tions were that it had not yet run
into the main Jewish defense >lne
guarding Tel Aviv and Jaffa.
Bitter fighting continued for the
Tel Aviv-Jerusalem road as the
Israelis tried to open supply route
to the Holy City's Jews, short OF
water and food. The Arabs have
blockaded all four highways into
Jerusalem.
Jews Tell Of Victories.
At the same time an Israeli COM
munique announced victories on
Palestines northern front. 1t said
Jewish troops after heavy fighting
occupied Lebanese army camp
at Malikiya on the Palestine-Leba-
nese border and occupied the town
of Malikiya and Kadesh. 1t added
that Jewish planes raided the Leb-
anese villages of Eitarun, Bint label
and Alama and said Israeli troops
moved into Eitarun and cleared 1t
of Arab forces. The communique
also said Jewish forces had at
tackled and destroyed two Syrian
border police stations despite strong
Arab resistance.
The French Consul General at
Jerusalem sent a telegram to the
United States saying Arabs fired
on his consulate with steel bullets
which penetrated sandbags.
A Tel Aviv dispatch said Egyptian
forces made a sudden march OF
bout 10 miles up the coast from
.Iajdal to Isdud, village only 20
miles south of Jaffa, the Jewish
capitals twin city.
A Defense Ministry communique
issued here tonight said the Egyp-
lian troops supported by aircraft
and artillery reached Isdud this
morning after overcoming strong
Jewish resistance.
The communique said one of two
Jewish planes which ATTACKED
Egyptian troops in Isdud was shot
down by anti-aircraft fire. The
,econd plane was hit and probably
Gid not return to its base, the COM
munique added.
Jewish Armored Cars in Clash.
Other Egyptian units clashed with
2 Jewish armored car column IN
Beerot Yitzhak. four miles south
cast of GAIA. inf1icting consider
BILE damage on a number OF the
ehicles. the communique said
1t added that the main Egyp-
ian air force attack today was
made on costal dcfenses in Tel Aviv
lSuuu ID OlIlN lillAIS Aioiil HAAN
limits of Israel as outlined by the
UN. partition plan. and probably
close to where real Jewish resistance
on the south might be encountered.
The village is in a flVe-mlle wide
Arab coastal strip that is f1anked
for 49 miles by Jewish assigned
territory.
The Jewish air force struck Jenin,
Nablus and Ramallah. three Arab
cities which form a triangle in con-
tral Palestine, the Tel Aviv dispatch
said.
Field guns of King Abdullahs Le-
gionnaires hammered Israeli posi-
ton in modern Jerusalem where
10000 to 10000 Jews are under a
light siege, front line dispatches
aid.
Jewish troops are sandwiched be-
ween Trans-Jordan Legionnalres
onerating from the newly won old
Jailed City and other Arab units
lnging all of Jerusalem.
Fires swept the ancient Jewish
hetto in the Old City which Israeli
,emnants surrendered to the Arab