Evening star., 1948-06-05
Egyptian Troops
Reported
In Tel Aviv Drive
Israel Says Naval
Sortie May Have
Been 'Dunkerque'
BY the Assoeiofed Press

BY the Assoeiofed Press
CAIRO, June 5.-Israeli forces
have recaptured Yibna, peak of
the Egyptian thrust into Jewish
territory, and have cut off a
considerable" force of Egyp-
tians who drove up the coast on
the road to Tel Aviv, the Jewish
high command reported today.
Israeli headquarters said yester-
days Egyptian naval sortie into
Jewish waters off Tel Aviv may
have been an attempt at a little
Dunkerque" to remove the coastal
spearhead. The Jews reported last
night their planes and coastal guns
routed four Egyptian vessels in the
first naval skirmish of the Palestine
war.
There were conflicting reports on
the battle for Jenin, top of the Arab
triangle in Northern Palestine. An
Iraqi communique in Baghdad last
night said 5000 Jews were routed
there, with loss of $50 killed and
1000 wounded. but Jewish head
quarters in Tel Ayiv said Israeli
forces continued to hold all posi-
tions captured in this sector"
Reinforcements Rushed.
The Jews reported Arabs rushing
reinforcements to meet the threat
to the Nablus- -Jenin- -Tulkarm tri-
angle, but said Arab counterattacks
were repulsed.
Yibna, on the coastal highway
to Tel Aviv, is 5 miles inside ter
ritory claimed by the State of
Israel and Is miles south of the
Tel Aviv-Jaffa area. 1t is miles
north of Isdud, where the Jews
said the main force of the Egyptian
spearhead now is encircled. Nearby
is Ramle, where the Egyptians might
have linked up with Arab Legion
and Iraqi units.
The Jewish communique said the
Egyptians attempted to break out
of trap and suffered losses in
armor.
The Cairo newspaper Akhbar El
Yom reported the Egyptian army,
navy and airforce began an offen-
sive at dawn today, but gave no
details. There was no word of this
from Tel Aviv.
Bernadotte Sees Premier.
Swedish Count Folke Bernadotte,
United Nations mediator seeking to
set a date for a four week truce
in the Holy Land, conferred for 90
minutes with Premier Nokrasky
Pasha Of Egypt today and planned
to leave for Beirut, Lebanon, Haifa
and Amman, Trans-Jordan. He
denied a report from Amman that
he had fixed Monday for the begin
ming of the truce.
Count Bernadotte cabled from
Cairo to the U. N. Security Council
at Lake Success, N. Y, last night
that the problem of Jewish immi-
grafton was the only question de-
laying a cease fire.
Both the Jews and Arabs have
agreed to the Councils order for a
four-week truce. They are negoti-
ating to decide when the truce shall
start. During the negotiations they
have disagreed on Interpretation of
the U. N. resolution calling for the
truce.
The Arabs said that the Jewish
attack in the Jenin region was
strong but that after a fierce battle
the Jews fell back and were "pur-
sued. dispersed and beaten"
The Baghdad communique said
the Iraqi air force had destroyed
most of big Jewish column in the
area.
Jewish Loss Put at 500 Men.
An Arab general in Amman,
Trans-Jordan, summed up the Jenin
fight and said it had cost the Jews
500 men to make futile attempt to
penetrate the city.
He said the battle continued north
Of Jenin yesterday after the Iraqis
launched counterattack which
pushed a Jewish armored column
out of the battered city.
The Jews have been making a
strong bid to breach the Arab tri-
angle. They reported Thursday they
had penetrated Jenin.
The Iraqi communique claimed a
great many Jews were taken pris-
oner and large quantities of arms
were captured.
Last nights Israel communique
on the initial naval fight of the war
said four Egyptian vessels tried to
approach the JEWS capital Of Tel
Aviv and were attacked by Israeli
warplanes. The communique said
at least one direct hit was scored
on the fiotilla and one Jewish plane
failed to return to its base.
An Egyptian communique reported
the navy was attacked by three
planes but did not say where this
occurred nor tell the number of
concerned.
The Egyptian sea force was listed
In the Israeli communique as:
One corvette "a wooden vessel
ranking next below a frigate), one
armed transport of $500 tons (the
Amir Fawzia) and two British-type
landing craft.
James M. Long, Associated Press
(See PALESTINE, Page A-2D
Inn Are Pennrfed Killed