Evening star., 1948-04-25
Hogonoh Presses
Drive Along Rood
To Nazareth
q. s. SIMPLIFIES PLAN to Win
U. N. to Palestine Trusteeship.
Page AS.
BY the Assoeiosed Press

BY the Assoeioted Press
JERUSALEM, April 24.-Jew-
ish militia fought today to take
possession of a buffer area to
seal off their greatest prize, the
port city of Haifa.
While thousands of weary Arabs
streamed from the city which was
captured by Jews in spectacular
battle Thursday, Hagana guns
blazed out at Ballad ESh Sheikh and
nearby Tirah, two villages about
five miles east of the big port. The
Arab villages are on the road tC
Nazareth and Tiberias, a city on
the Sea of Galilee from which the
Arabs also have been driven by the
Jews
- The British said the Arabs asked
ior truce at dawn after an all
night fight and agreed to surrender
their arms. When only % rifles
were turned in, however, the Jews
delivered a new ultimatum for the
delivery of all guns and the fight
ing was renewed. The latest reports
said the British had arranged a
temporary truce for the evacuation
of women and children from the
villages.
Jews Oppose Evacuation.
Dispatches from Haifa said the
Jews were trying to prevent the
evacuation of the $1,000 Arabs re-
manning in the city. The Jews con-
sidered the evacuation a politica
rebuff, and wanted them to remain
to demonstrate that Arabs and Jews
can live side by side. They offered
the Arabs cooperation in solving
food and supply problems.
Arab leaders replied to Jewish
persuasions, however, that they
could not subject ourselves to con-
querors."
Indications were that most of the
Arabs would leave the city as a
silent protest against the Jewish
blitz of the parts of the town not
controlled by the British.
The Arabs believed their with
drawal would prevent the British
owned Oil refinery in the port area
from operating. The refinery has
been closed for two weeks and the
gasoline shortage is acute. The re-
finery management said it would
not reopen unless both Arab and
Jewish laborers returned to work
Arabs in the city were under a
Jewish curfew, virtual house ar
rest. Hagana said five field guns,
mortars and other arms had been
found in an inch-by-inch search of
Arab quarters.
Arabs Won't Enforce Terms.
Arab civilian leaders ordered the
evacuation because they were un-
willing to attempt to enforce jew
ish terms for surrender of arms
upon armed Arab volunteers. The
city of 10000 is about half Arab
The Arab population was being
moved across the bay to Acre by
British army landing craft and small
boats. and plans were being made
to move other thousands by British
army trucks overland to Nazareth
neighboring Lebanon and Nablus ir
the Arabs So-called triangle oi
strength in Central Palestine.
The evacuation was being carried
cut at the time Jews observe the
passover in cOmmemora ton of theil
own exodus from Egypt, and from
docks where the British customarily
deported intercepted Jewish immi-
grants to Cyprus
Thousands still huddled in ref.
uges without food.
Elsewhere nine Arabs, five Jew:
and British policeman were killed
In continuing violence today.
Jews Fail to Take Towns.
The British reported that the
Jews were unsuccessful in yeSter-
dav's attempt to capture three Arat
villages, Belt IkSa, Biddu, and Neb
Samuel on the northwestern out
skirts of Jerusalem and lost 20 dead
in the operation. Nearly every
house in Belt IkSa was levelled by
Jewish explosives.
After heavy firing in the border
land of Arab Jaffa and Jewish TIE
Aviv on the coast last night. Hagane
reported it had moved some of it,
strongholds into Arab territory.
This holy city is girding for war
The 10000 Jews and Arabs here
believe chances for a truce are dim
Both claim the city for their capi.
(See PALESTINE. Page A-8.)