Egyptians Reported in Full Attack; Israeli Spokesman Says War Is On, Associated Press, NY Sun, July 8, 1948.

Bernadotte Declares Arabs Reject Truce -U. N. Personnel Being Pulled Out of Palestine.

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Cairo, July 8 (A. P.) -The Israeli High Command announced today that the Egyptian forces opened an offensive in the waning hours of the four weeks’ truce in Palestine, and were hurling air, artillery and armored-car attacks against Beer Tuvia, twenty-three miles south of Tel Aviv.

The Egyptians were attacking in the direction of Isdud, the communique added.

“The war is on,” a Jewish spokesman declared.

Arabs Reject New Truce.

From his headquarters on Rhodes, Count Folke Bernadotte, the United Nations mediator, announced that the Arabs had rejected his please to extend the truce, which runs out tomorrow at 6 A. M. Greenwich time (2 A. M. New York time). The Jews agreed to a thirty days’ extension if the conditions “be substantially the same,” Bernadotte asserted. He added- “The Arab reply … states that the Arabs are not prepared to accept a prolongation of the truce under present conditions in view of their experience of the last four weeks.

“I am disappointed that hostilities are to be resumed in Palestine.”

Israel appealed to the United Nations for emergency action to halt a renewal of the war. The Israeli Foreign Minister, Moshe Shertok, told the U. N. in a message that the Egyptians attacked at 1 A. M.. Greenwich time (8 o’clock last night). The force, he said, consisted of two armored columns and infantry.

On both sides, however, renewed war on a full scale was expected tomorrow.

Air Raid Alarm Sounded.

In Tel Aviv the air raid sirens were sounded shortly after noon today. There was no immediate sign of planes over the city.

At the same time today there was scattered firing from gun-posts in the heart of Jerusalem. On the Arab side a grim determination to resume the battle was apparent there, and foreign Consular personnel said that Jerusalem Jews were publicly boasting of their military prowess.
U. N. Withdrawing Staff.

Bernadotte’s announcement said that the Arabs apparently turned down even a three-day truce extension, but that “all necessary steps are being taken immediately for the safe evacuation of United Nations observers, personnel and their equipment.” The Jews, he said, indicated willingness to accept a temporary cease-fire in Jerusalem during continued demilitarization negotiations. He has asked the Arabs to clarify their reply on this point.

Bernadotte said that he would now concentrate his efforts on obtaining a cease-fire in Jerusalem. “I will do my utmost to save Jerusalem and holy places from further destruction,” he continued. He would also, he said, continue working “with a view to attaining at the earliest possible day the peaceful adjustment of the future situation in Palestine.”

United Nations truce observers were hastily evacuated from Tel Aviv this morning. All United Nations military personnel left by road convoy for Haifa.

Dispatches from Amman, the capital of Trans-Jordan, said that the two U. N. truce observers based there had received orders to leave immediately.

Report Jews Heavily Armed.

The United States naval carrier Palau arrived at Haifa to evacuate the U. N. staff. The United States naval tankship Marquette is in Haifa Bay to remove personnel and equipment, and the destroyers, Putnam, Henley and Owen are standing by at Haifa, subject to U. N. orders. It was also stated that the U. N. secretariat and guards, mostly Americans, would leave Haifa by air for Beirut today and that the American observers would fly home from Beirut on American planes. A small party of U. N. field observers may remain in Jerusalem, pending possible developments in the Bernadotte proposal to demilitarize the Holy City, Haifa dispatches said.

In Jerusalem today officers of the Trans-Jordan Arab Legion reported that the Jews have heavily increased their armaments in the Holy City. At the beginning of the truce the Arabs held the Old City and the Jews most of the modern city. The legion officers said they expected the Jews to launch a heavy mortar attack on the Old City, the scene of many holy shrines. The Jews are now also equipped with medium and heavy bombers, principally from United States war surpluses, and air attacks on Damascus-and Amman can be expected, these officers added.