Evening star., 1948-03-07
Arab Military Leader
IConfers in Palestine;
Early Attack Rumored
BY the Associolsd Press


JERUSALEM, Mar. 6.-FawZi Bey
AL Kaukji, field commander of the
Arab Peoples Army in northern
Palestine, conferred with his staff
officers on Palestine soil at newly
established headquarters north of
Nablus today.
The activities of AL Kaukji, who
was reported Thursday to have left
Syria for Palestine headquarters,
raised reports that a broadened Arab
attack was imminent. Although the
Arab League has decided to make
no large-scale attack while British
troops are here, his arrival at this
time suggested the tempo of Arab
operations would be increased.
Late in the afternoon the COM
mander visited Nablus in the hills
north Of Jerusalem, and was greeted
enthusiastically by crowds who filled
the streets to the market stalls.
Heavily armed soldiery fred shots
of greeting into the air.
Headquarters Kept Secret.
Then al Kaukji returned to his
headquarters at nearby village
whose name is still secret. There
was speculation that the head
quarters was at Tabus, nine miles
north of Nablus.
Arab sources said AL Kaukji, a
veteran of the Arab revolt of a
decade ago, had visited his forces
in Palestine before but "this time
he has come to stay until the fight
is over"
One rumor said he had brought
$1,000 troops with him across the
Jordan. The best information, how
ever, was that the big new Ameri-
can sedan in which he Travelled
was accompanied by no more than
two or three cars of staff officers
and a jeep load Of guards. His
troops-at least for the immediate
phase of the f1ght-are believed al
ready to have been sent into the
all-Arab triangle of Nablus-Tul-
karm-Jenin.
Dispatches from Damascus, Syria,
said two batteries Of heavy ar
tillery'-probably French 75's-
moved into Palestine today to sup
port the Arab army.
Jerusalem Has Quiet Day.
Jerusalem had one of its quietest
days, although the Haifa port area
was ripped by heavy fire from three
inch Jewish mortars from the slopes
of Mount Carmel. Police said five
Arabs were killed.
The death toll since November
20 mounted to 1876.
In Jerusalem a station wagon be-
longing to the United States Con-
sulate was held up and stolen from
in front of the Damascus Gate to
the old city by band of armed
Arabs. They stopped the car and
forced Manuel Mitchell and another
consulate employe named Sweden
borg, both Americans. the Arab
driver and the messenger to leave
the car. The car did not carry the
American flag or consular license
plates.
More than 1000 British soldiers
aind civilians sailed from Haifa for
home as Jewish and Arab sniper
fire ripped through the business
district only three blocks from the
dock. About 1900 soldiers were In
the first large contingent to sail
for the United Kingdom since
Britain announced she was giving
up her mandate here.
Near Haifa, a volley OF shots
peppered an automobile carrying
news photographers today. wounding
an American newsreel cameraman.
1t was not known whether Jews or
Arabs did the shooting.
Robert Hecox of Paramount News,
was wounded in the right thigh.
Two other men, Carl Gossett of the
New York Times and Kenneth
HanashoW, newsreel man from
London, escaped injury.