Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-01-07
|srae|is Order
.Cease-Fire in
Negeb Desert
Egyptians Expelled,
Offensive Finished,
Tel Aviv Announces
BY the Associated Press

TEL AVN, Israel, Jan. T.
1sraels army announced their
Operation A, the offensive in the
Negeb Desert, ended today with
Egyptian forces hurled from
Israel soil and Jewish patrols
back from deep generations
into Egypt.
The general staff ordered Israeli
troops to cease fire, remain in their
positions and shoot only if fired on.
The truce is prelude to armistice
talks with the Egyptians aimed at
ending the war in Southern Pales-
tine.
The cease-fire was ordered for
2 pm. Il am, EST. 1t found
Israeli's troops astride the only
coastal road to GAIA, the seaport
assigned to the Arabs by partition.
and ringed in a half circle around
Egypt's frontier base at Rata a
spokesman said. The Israelis said
their patrols were withdrawn from
stabs as deep as AZ miles into
Egypt.
mo mention was made of the
Egyptians bottled up in the
Faluja trap northeast Of GAIA
and just outside territory as
signed to Israeli under the U. N.
partition plan Of November %,
1947D
All Israeli land. sea and air forces
besides those in South Palestine
received the cesse-fire order. de-
signed specially to end the battle
in the Negeb Desert and the coastal
strip.
The order was in keeping with
United Nations directions for a halt
in the weeks of active hostilities be-
tween Israel and Egypt.
Israel is prepared to discuss an
armistiee with the Egyptians and
abide by the United Nations reso-
luton Of December II, which ap-
pointed Palestine Cancellation
commission, Foreign Office spokes-
man said.
He said the government was pre-
pared to cooperate fully with the
conciliators. The commission men,
bers are Joseph B. KEENAN, of the
United States. Claude de Boissanger
of France and Hussein Cahit Yalchin
of Turkey.
Egypt previously had agreed to a
cease-fire and 0 start on armiStice
negotiations.
Iraqi Fire Reported.
While no incidents were reported
in the Negeb or southern coastal
area this morning, it was officially
stated that Iraqi troops had di-
rected heavy fire at Jewish positions
in the central sector. The Jews
returned the fire.
A private source said the fight
began last night when the Iraqis
unsuccessfully tried to wrest several
strongholds from the Israelis
OF all the Arab states at war
with Israel. Egypt was the first to
agree to direct armistice negotia-
tons.
'One of the others, 1raq, had a
brief cabinet crisis yesterday
Premier Muzahim Amin al
Pachachi resigned after student
demonstrations in Baghdad for
full-scale resumption of the Arab
war against Israel. Gen. Nuri
Pasha es Said, veteran military
and political leader. formed
new cabinet a few hours later.
He said the liberation of Pales-
tine requires the eXertion Of all
efforts" and pledged to do his
utmost to that end.l
Local Action Reported.
Fighting was reported in the
Ramat Hakovesh area Of the central
front last night and today, but an
Israeli military spokesman said the
action was local one He said this
area, too, is covered by the cease
fire order and Israeli troops return
fire only if attacked. There was no
tendency here to overrate the i'm
portance of skirmishes on the
1raqi-Israeli front for the past few
days.
U. N. truce observers are on their
way back to the Negeb. They left
See PALESTINE, Page A-14D