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Two Christian Churches Hit, Associated Press, San Francisco Chronicle, June 5, 1948.

Via DolorosaArab Officer Accuses Jews of Firing Shells, Violating ‘Truce’ Plan

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By DANIEL DE LUCE Associated Press Staff Writer

INSIDE OLD JERUSALEM, June 4-Mortar bombs shattered the red tile roofs of two Christian churches today along the Via Dolorosa-the Way of Sorrows-and caused minor injuries to three child refugees.

An Arab Legion commander said Jews fired the mortars, and he ordered his artillery to reply ten-fold against Jewish targets. He charged the shelling was a violation of a hold-fire understanding in the Holy City.

Catholic priests of the Latin Patriarchal said a manifesto of the Christian Union of Palestine against Jewish conduct of military operations had been sent to the United Nations.

The manifesto “appeals to all those in power and to the civilized world to compel the Jews to respect the holy places and religious institutions and to desist from making them military bases and targets.”

One mortar bomb struck the church of the Armenian Patriarchate at the third station and another the Greek Catholic church of Saint Veronica at the Sixth Station along the path trod by Jesus to Calvary.

LEGION FIRES BACK

A third bomb landed harmlessly near Damascus Gate. In answer the Legion guns fired 30 rounds at targets that included the Jewish Agency Haganah positions on Mount Zion and the new Jewish quarters of Rehavia and Montefiore.

Most of Jerusalem was quiet, with Legion infantry sticking to their positions.

The Legion commander said he learned 800 Jews were working at a breakneck pace to construct a new airstrip on the western outskirts of Jerusalem near Beir Yassin. He said it would be bombarded heavily before it could be placed in operation.

The Latin Patriarchate priests said the Greek Orthodox and Armenian Orthodox Patriarchate representatives had helped draft the manifesto but did not sign it. Instead they presented letters endorsing its contents.

JEWS BLAMED

The manifesto also blamed the Jews for breaking an eight-day cease-fire May 14 in Jerusalem. It said the Jewish Agency admitted the Stern group committed the violation, but added it had no control over the Sternists.

“We then realized that terrorists are controlling the Jewish movement,” said the manifesto.

It listed eight convents and other religious institutions occupied by the Jews and 14 damaged during the battle. It listed three priests killed and two wounded by “Jewish bombs and bullets.” It said the Arabs promised to respect the Holy places and added- “In fact they kept their word till now, and if they entered a convent it was with a view to counter defense.”

Franciscans Forming ‘Holy Land Militia’

Copyright, 1948, by the New York Times and The Chronicle

ROME, June 4-Creation of a “Holy Land militia” composed of volunteers from all countries to protect the “Holy places” of Christianity in Palestine was announced today to the Vatican secretariat of State and to all foreign diplomatic missions by the Rome delegation of the Franciscan “custodianship of Holy Land.”

Franciscan fathers who had been guarding Christian monuments in Palestine for the last 601 years said they hoped soon to have the first contingent of some hundreds of young men.

The Franciscans emphasized that the new militia will have a purely protective function and will not intervene in any way in local questions between Arabs and Jews. Enrollment in the new militia will be open to all Christians, even if not Catholics.

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