Jews, Arabs Issue Threats on Palestine, Associated Press, San Francisco Chronicle, Jan. 14, 1948.

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“This is war. We propose to sweep Zionism from Palestine with superior military force.” – Fawzi Bey al Kaukji

JERUSALEM, Jan. 13 (AP)—Arabs slashed again at the Jewish settlement in northern Galilee and Jewish dynamite squads blasted Arab sniping posts on the outskirts of Jerusalem today.

A Jewish agency spokesman hinted that if the Arabs persist in their siege of1500 Jews in the Jewish quarters of the old city the ancient walls surrounding the city would be blown up “with plenty of innocent people killed.”

(In Damascus, Syria, Defense Minister Ahmed Sharabati said in an interview that “a direct frontal attack against Jewish forces can be expected” in about a month from Arab peoples’ armies aroused by the impending partition of Palestine.

(“There will be no bombing in the dark,” he said. “We intend to attack with men and arms in an honorable war to preserve the rights of our Arab brothers. Full-scale training and arming are progressing.”

(Fawzi Bey al Kaukji, chief of the volunteer fight against Zionism and wanted by the British for his part in the 1936–39 Arab revolt, declared-

“In one month you can witness the results of our preparations. This is war. We propose to sweep Zionism from Palestine with superior military force.”)

708 DEAD

New deaths today brought to 708 the unofficial death toll since the United Nations decision on November 29 in favor of partitioning Palestine.

An official announcement said about 30 Arabs fired upon the Lahavoth settlement in the Lake Hula district of northern Galilee, in the same area where Arab raiders crossed the Syrian border for a similar assault last week.

An official announcement said British troops from Metullah who reached Lahavoth in two light scout cars drove the Arabs off in a battle that lasted an hour and a half. The Arabs left one dead and withdrew toward the Syrian border, the announcement added. The origin of the raiders was not given.

THE SIEGE

The Jews in the old city have been isolated for about three weeks and the agency spokesman said the British Army has been requested either to blast open a new gate or reopen one of several Arab-held gates in the wall to enable supplies to reach the Jews.

He said that if the Arabs persist in maintaining road blocks near the old city and posting guards at the gates “a big bang would be the logical outcome.”