Evening star., 1948-04-26
Jewish Underground
Goes Ahead Despite
Hogono's S Orders
BY the Associoied Press


sumed its attack on Arab Jaffa,
despite orders to desist broadcast
In downtown Tel Aviv streets by
Hagana, the Jewish militia. The
Jewish underground organiza-
ton launched the assault from
Tel Aviv yesterday without Ha-
CANA permission.
The drive was directed for the
second successive day toward the
MaShieh quarter of Jaffa, beyond a
no-man's-land Of she'll shattered
homes in the poorer district several
blocks wide.
Heavy mortar and bomb explo-
sionS preceded the attack, which was
made under cover of strong fire
from automatic weapons Machine
gun and mortar fire from Jaffa in
dicated the Jews were meeting re-
sistance.
Tension was high among the
civilian residents of all-JeWiSh Tel
Aviv.
Hagana Orders Ignored.
Hagana trucks cruised Allenby
street shortly after dawn, broad
casting orders for Irgun's militia
to break up traffic controls and road
blocks maintained since yesterday
in the streets leading to the battle
zone. At noon Irgun still manned
the roadblocks and truck-borne
forces of Hagana were seen on the
alert at points nearby.
Once during the morning Hagana
approached the main Irgun block
on Hertzl street and demanded it
be cleared. The Irgunists refused.
Fist fighting broke out and few
shots were fired into the air.
Crowds of passersby swarmed in
between the two groups and broke
up the fighting.
Jerusalem dispatches said major
battle for that city appeared to be
shaping up today with both Jews
and Arabs modified on the south
ern edges of the city A British
regiment was packing to evacuate
Alamein camp astride the Bethle-
hem road leading south from Jeru-
salem. The Jews and Arabs ap-
peared to be maneuvering for
battle to take the camp.
Arabs and Jews MaSsing.
Hagana detachments we're recog-
nized in a grove in the Jewish
suburb of Talpioth overlooking the
camp. Many obviously were digging
IN.
Some 200 yards in the other direc-
ton, four Arab armored cars
wheeled into position. Eight
armored scout cars of the Trans
Jordan Arab Legion were parked
at right angles to the entrance of
the camp at 50-yard range. Who
ever enters or leaves when the
British are gone will do so with
Arab Legion permission.
The Arabs in upper Bakaa, the
an-Arab suburb which lies between
central Jerusalem and Alamein
camp, obviously are girding for
fight. The control of Alamein
camp is vital to the Arabs. In
Jewish possession, it could block
access to Jerusalem by Arabs of
Hebron, Beersheba and the South
Jews blasted a bridge over the
Yarmuk River on the frontier of
Northern Palestine and Syria. The
bridge had been used repeatedly for
inf1ltration of Arab troops.
The Arabs countered by blocking
the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway in
Babelwad Gorge, Is miles from
Jerusalem, the British Army an
nounced.
1000 Launch Jaffa Attack.
An estimated 1000 men launched
the Jaffa attack yesterday. 1t was
the largest number Irgun has mus
tered yet for an operation, accord
ing to Tel Aviv residents.
High 1rgun officers told reporters
last night Arab defenders had fallen
back into the middle of Jaffa,
neighboring city of 95, 1000, and Irgun
soldiers were going on with the
attack. Earlier, Hebrew newspapers
said the drive had carried a mile
into Jaffa's frontier Manshieh
quarter.
Other sources said the under
ground assault had stalled on run
ming up against British troops with
mechanical equipment. They said
the British had told Hagana Tel
Aviv would be sheltered unless Irgun
fell back into the no mans land
between the cities.
This morning there was no official
Information on whether the Irgunists
still held whatever gains we're made
in yesterdays fighting. Only spo-
radio gunf1re had been heard over
night in twin city borderland
Irgun was reported at one point
to have handed the Arabs a sur
(See PALESTINE, Page A-4D