The Palestine War: Jews Say Arabs Plan Gas Attack on Jerusalem to Beat U. N. Truce Deadline, United Press, San Francisco Chronicle, May 31, 1948.

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TEl AVIV. May 30-The Arab Legion is planning to use poison gas and heavy artillery in two lightning attacks on Jerusalem tonight and tomorrow, a Jewish spokesman claimed today. Air attacks are expected also.

The spokesman said Legion command reports indicated plans to seize the main part of the city in an artillery and gas attack. The southwestern suburb of El Katamon reportedly was stated for seizure in a second attack to morrow.

The spokesman said the lightning thrust had been planned by the Arabs in an effort to complete capture of the Holy City before the United Nations truce deadline Tuesday.

(Associated Press in Cairo said dispatches filed directly from Jerusalem gave no indication the TransJordan Legionnaires planned to use gas.)

INTERCEPTION

The New York Times in a copyrighted dispatch said the military message was intercepted by Israeli intelligence units. The message, according to an Israeli spokesman was sent from Arab Legion headquarters in Jerusalem to Sir John Glubb Pasha, British-born Legion commander in Amman.)

Earlter the Jewish army announced that Jerusalem’s main water source had been recaptured from traqui forces by Palmach shock troops of the Haganah army. Israeli troops, striking apparently from the Tel Aviv area, seized the pumping stations at Ras El Ein, Northeast of Tel Aviv and just outside Israel’s boundary.

Jerusalem has been almost without water for several weeks.

The Jews still control almost all of modern Jerusalem, and reportedly were “holding the offensive” today despite constant Arab artillery bombardments which have harassed beleaguered Israelis for the last 15 days.

BRITISH ACCUSED

An Israel spokesman hinted that Britain was supplying gas to the Legion for the Jerusalem attack, and rejected a British claim that “very few” British officers are taking active part in the Legion invasion of Palestine.

The spokesman claimed that none of the Arab countries had facilities for manufacturing war gas, and added “the source of the gas is quite clear.”

As further evidence that Arab leaders are trying to beat the U. N. deadline, the spokesman quoted an alleged “urgent message” from Arab Legion headquarters to some ammunition ships, two weeks overdue at Aqaba, urging them to dash for the port at full speed.

Aqaba, at the northern end of the Red sea Gulf of Aqaba, is Trans Jordan’s only Seaport.

Simultaneously. Jewish bombing planes blasted Arab positions from the Sea of Galilee in the north to Egyptian-occupied Isdud in the south, the communique said.

Haganah artillery and armor continued to pound the bloody crossroad at Latrun in an effort to isolate the Arab Legion’s western spearhead from its bases at Ramallah and Jerusalem.

(Associated Press reported from Haifa that Jews had captured two Arab towns on the Plain of Armageddon, page 4.)

The citrus township of Rehovoth, 11 miles northwest of Latrun, was among the points bombed by the Arabs.

An Iraqi communique, published in Baghdad, claimed air raids had inflicted heavy damage on Israeli positions along the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway.

Battle-hardened Legionnaires moved up yesterday to relieve Arab irregulars in the towns of Lydda and Ramle, 11 miles southeast of the Israeli capital. Supplies for these forces must pass through Latrun en route from Jerusalem or Ramallah to the front.