13 More Are Killed in Partition Battle
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JERUSALEM, Feb. 4 (AP)—One British soldier, five Jews and seven Arabs were killed in Palestine fighting today.
The death toll from Holy Land violence since the United Nations decision Nov. 29 to partition Palestine rose to 1055.
The British soldier was killed when Arabs attacked a military truck convoy between Jerusalem and Hebron, an official source said. Three other soldiers were wounded.
In northern Palestine Arabs in Syrian army uniforms battled a British army unit tonight, an army statement said. One Arab was killed and six captured.
Two Arabs were killed by Jewish snipers in the Tel Aviv-Jaffa borderland area, a police report said.
One Arab was found dead near Byriah in northern Palestine.
A house curfew was imposed on the mixed Arab-Jewish township of Tiberias, on the western shores of Galilee.
Reporting the fighting with Arabs wearing Syrian uniforms, the army said they blazed away at a truckload of Sixth Airborne Division troops.
The Arab attackers were believed to be Syrian-trained volunteers of the “People’s Army for Palestine,” and used French rifles and some automatic weapons.
A Damascus dispatch quoted an officer of the “People’s Army” as saying that 600 Arab fighters crossed into Palestine last night over the River Jordan and moved into prepared positions 37 miles inside the Holy Land.
The dispatch quoted a source close to Fawzi Bey Al Kaukji, “People’s Army” commander, as saying 7000 Syrian-trained men were now in Palestine awaiting orders for a general offensive.
(United Press reported that Great Britain started its withdrawal from Palestine today when 300 British members of the Palestine police were ordered to Egypt whence they are to sail for England Sunday.)