Bernadotte in Rhodes to Prepare for Peace Talks, Associated Press, San Francisco Chronicle, June 19, 1948.

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Count Folke Bernadotte arrived at his peace headquarters in Rhodes Friday to begin the attempt to set up a basis for a permanent Palestine settlement.

The U. N. mediator reached the Greek Island after conferences in Cairo and Tel Aviv, where he was given assurances that Arab and Jewish experts will be sent in the role of consultants to help him shape a peace plan. These delegations are expected in Rhodes on Monday.

The Count said he did not expect he would have a proposal ready for Jewish and Arab consideration before a week.

He said it was too early to say whether top Arab and Jewish leaders would go to the Aegean island to talk peace.

“We must move by easy stages,” Rhodes dispatches quoted him. “There is no question of any kind of round table conference yet.”

He expressed satisfaction that the cease-fire was now functioning, but said there may be some minor incidents in coming weeks.

GRAVE DOUBTS

In Tel Aviv. however. grave doubts were expressed that the truce would last more than another 10 days. Preparations were going ahead in Israel for any eventuality.

Observers in Amman, Trans-Jordan capital, said they expected “significant developments” following a Cabinet session that was called immediately after the arrival of the Trans-Jordan Premier and Foreign Minister from Cairo.

David Ben-Gurion, Israel Premier, told the provisional Parliament in Tel Aviv Thursday night that Israel must “be prepared either for truce or war.”

Tel Aviv had the same tightly guarded blackout Thursday night as it had every night during the month preceding the cease-fire.

Thousands of Israel’s troops have returned from the front and are in camps where officers are putting them through intensive training. They have been replaced at the front by thousands of others.

MOBILIZATION

Jewish mobilization for possible renewal of the fighting was continuing. All classes of able-bodied men up to 36 have been called for combat duty. Those over 42 have been mobilized in the home guard. Those from 36 to 42 are to be called us as needed. A new order this week authorized mobilization of men up to 55 and women up to 50 for essential work.

Local arms manufacture was being rushed at top speed in the Jewish state. Under the truce the Jews cannot import arms.

The Jews emphasized that the consultations in Rhodes are in no way a “peace conference.” The Arabs have declined to attend any formal round table conference which would amount to tacit recognition of Israel as a state.

On the other hand the Jews declare that if the Arabs insist on dissolution of the Jewish state as a condition for a full-scale peace conference, Bernadotte might as well save his time.