Evening star., 1948-06-06
BY the Associofsd Press

CAIRO, June 5.-The Jewish
command said today that Israeli
troops trapped a considerable"
Egyptian force driving up the
Palestine coast and threw back
the Egyptian spearhead within
IA miles of Tel Aviv, the capital
of Israel.
In Central Palestine northeast of
Tel Aviv, however, Associated Press
dispatches said Iraqi troops were
digging in around Jenin, northern
tip Of the Arab triangle of
strength" after throwing back a
Jewish offensive.
Yibna, highpHnt of the Egyptian
thrust south of Tel Aviv, was re-
taken by Israeli units, the Jewish
command said. At that point the
Egyptians were six miles inside the
coastal strip claimed by Israel.
Arab Armor Hemmed In.
Nine miles farther south in the
Arab section of the Palestine coast
other Jewish troops threw a moose
around Isdud. The Jews claimed
some OF King Farouk's armor was
hemmed in there. The Egyptians
suffered losses in armor when they
attempted a break-out, the Israeli
communique issued in Tel Aviv said.
The Egyptians claimed they repulsed
Israeli attacks in that sector.
An Egyptian communique said to-
night that Egyptian forces drove
wedges into Jewish lines in settle
ments north of their advance posi-
tions. 1t did not say which settle
ments. The communique claimed
Egyptian planes raided the settle
ments of Khelda, Hulda and Abu
Shusha, southeast of Er Ramle, and
Yavne and Gan Yavne, northeast
of Isdud.
The Cairo newspaper Akhbar el
Yom reported that the Egyptians
had launched a general offensive
against Israel, striking by land, sea
and air. The newspaper gave no
details, and Tel Aviy dispatches
made no mention Of q new Egyptian
attack.
Accounts on Battle Conflict.
There were conflicting accounts
concerning the battle for Jenin,
northern end of the Arab triangle
menacing Tel Aviv and the Israeli
coastal strip.
A Jewish communique said Israeli
units held all the positions they cap
tured in this sector and repulsed
Arab counter attacks. Jewish cor
respondents previously had reported
their striking force was in North
western Jenin. An Associated Press
correspondent with Iraqi forces re-
ported from Jenin today, however,
that Iraqi troops apparently were
firmly established in the town after
beating off two strong Jewish at
tacks in the last two days.
He quoted an Iraqi commander as
saying 5000 to 1000 Israeli troops
involved in fighting in the area had
withdrawn to positions five miles
north of the town. There the Jews
took up positions in the rolling hills
along the edge of the Plain OF Es-
draelon, the biblical Armageddon.
Jews Under Artillery Fire.
One small isolated pocket of ap-
proximately $50 Jews was under
Iraqi artillery fire three miles north
of Jenin, the dispatch said. The
Iraqi commander estimated Jewish
losses in the fighting at almost 600
dead and many more wounded"
He said the defeat was the heaviest
blow the Jews yet have suffered.
1--WE threw planes, artillery and
armor into the fight" the COM
mander said, after the Jews over
ran a small army garrison posted
in the town." Previously an Israeli
communique had said the Jewish
lines were holding firm and Arab
charges had been thrown back.
The communique said the Arabs
rushed reinforcements to Jenin from
Nablus, the southern anchor of the
triangle. Tulkarm is the western
pivot. The sides of the triangle
vary from Is to 20 miles.
The coastal front south OF Tel
Aviv has been alive for several days.
The Jews said yesterday the Egyp-
tian naval sortie of Tel Aviv may
(See PALESTINE, Page A-7D