Egyptians Drive Towards Tel-Aviv, New Haven Evening Register, May 17, 1948.

ARABS REPORT 30-MILE THRUST BY INVADERS

Capital of Israel Bombed for Third Day-Jews Say Acre About to Fall

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By The Associated Press

The Egyptian Army was reported by Arabs today to have driven 30 miles into Palestine, more than halfway to Tel Aviv.

On the east of the new Jewish state of Israel, other forces of the five Arab nations invading Palestine were said to have captured the important Rutenburg power station, where the Yarmuk River joins the Jordan.

The Jews said the capture of Arab Acre, an old crusaders’ port 12 miles south of Lebanon, is imminent Haganah forces were declared to have struck seven miles into Lebanon and wrecked a strategic bridge.

Tel Aviv, government seat of the State of Israel, was bombed for the third straight day. The Egyptian declared they destroyed important dock works there yesterday. The Jews said they destroyed one or two planes.
Weizmann Elected

Dr. Chaim Weizmann, 73, was elected president of Israel. British subject, he is now ill in New York. Israel applied for membership in the United Nations. The body was informed by Abdulian that Arab intervention in Palestine had the “sole purpose of restoring peace and security and establish law and order.”

Top U. S. officials studied the question of lifting the ban on shipments of American arms to the Middle East. Senator Taft (R-Ohio advocated this and asked that U. N. armed forces “prevent aggression against Israel.” British War Minister Emanuel Shinwell appealed for international co-operation to end the danger of war “before it is too late.”

Arabs Advance

Cairo, May 17-(AP)-The Arab Higher Executive Committee said today Egyptian troops have drive within 30 miles of Tel Aviv after an advance of at least 34 miles into Palestine.

The office said also the Jewish Agency has authorized the surrender of Jews in the old city Jerusalem to the Arab volunteer command.

The “conditions of surrender provide that the Jews give up the arms, that men be considered prisoners of war and that women and children be handed over to the International Red Cross, it said.

The office, quoting a communist from the Middle East broadcasting station, said Syrian and Iraqi troop have joined forces in the Samak area at the southern tip of the S?? of Galilee. The town, reported captured by the Syrians, is two and half miles inside Palestine from be Syria and Trans-Jordan.

The Arabs claimed also to have seized the Rutenburg power station at the confluence of the Yarmish and Jordan rivers. King Abdulla of Trans-Jordan asserted the station supplied two-thirds of Jewish industry in Palestine. Arab volunteers were reported to have captured the Lydda airport, inside Israel territory less than 10 miles from Tin Aviv, and another strip at the Qalandiya Jewish colony.

Egyptian authorities confiscate cargoes of three European ships Alexandria, declaring they contained contraband for Palestine They also seized 105 rifles aboard the S. S. Memnon, flying the Egyptian flag en route from England Beirut.

The Syria Government at Damascus banned all night flights across Syria and confined daylight a traffic to corridors.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Amheh Khashaba Pasha said his government has received no official notification about recognition of Israel

“When any such notification reaches us, the Egyptian Government will base its reply on international law,” he said.

Acre’s Fall Likely

Tel Aviv, Israel, May 17-(AP)-Israel’s Army said today it is has struck seven miles into Lebanon and destroyed a strategic bridge. It declared also that the Arab city of Acre, 12 miles south of the Lebanese-Palestine frontier, “is expected to surrender at any moment.”

Planes bombed Tel Aviv for the third successive day. Haganah, said several bombs were dropped at 5 A. M. The attack appeared aimed at the port area by a light or medium bomber and one other plane. At least 10 persons were killed from the air on Saturday and Sunday.

Moshe Shertok, foreign minister, acknowledged heavy Arab pressure in the northeast and south. The Egyptians were pressing into the Negeb. or southern desert, and the Iraqi Army was striking in the northern Jordan Valley, he said.

Haganah issued this communiqué at noon-

“Police station Nebu Yusha, Upper Galilee, was captured by our forces.

“In the Semakh area, Lake Galilee, heavy attacks were made on our positions yesterday. Three enemy armored cars were hit and put out of action. Two attempts by enemy infantry to attack our positions were repulsed, each time with enemy casualties.

“Enemy armored cars, artillery and infantry yesterday attacked Geher, on the Trans-Jordan frontier, Heavy guns fired from the Irbid Road and Wadi Bara. Two enemy armored cars were put out of action and an infantry attack was repulsed.