UN Palestine Commission – Daily News Summary

UNITED NATIONS PALESTINE COMMISSION

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY

11 March 1948

Jerusalem, March 11 – Eight persons were killed and 89 wounded this morning in an explosion wrecking the Jewish Agency building online George Avenue. The entire right wing of the building was blown apart, the roof was blown off and the rest of the building was badly damaged. So far as is known no top officials of the Jewish Agency were in the building. (AP – teletype report)

Jerusalem, March 10 – Three British constables, deserters from the Palestine Police, were captured today in an Arab attack on a Jewish colony. Two of their were among Britons named by Haganah as participants in the bombing of Ben Yehuda Street of 22 February. (NY HERALD TRIBUNE)

High Commissioner Sir Alan G. Cunningham authorised the release of a hitherto secret list which revealed that since the beginning of 1947, 239 military and 30 police deserters have not been apprehended. (NY TIMES)

A UP report from Haifa said that 2,500 troops sailed today on the SAMARIA, the second ship to leave Palestine in two days as the British evacuation began. (NY TIMES)

Despite repeated reports of agreement among all the Jewish underground armed forces, Jewish sources said tonight that there had been a new postponement of an accord between Irgun Evai Leumi and Haganah, while the Stern Group still remained entirely outside of the official negotiations. (NY TIMES)

London, March 10 – Labor party rebels who disagree with Britain’s policy of neutrality in the Palestine dispute mustered only 30 votes against the Government tonight when the House of Commons approved the bill to terminate British Jurisdiction in Palestine.

Colonial Secretary Arthur Creetch-Jones was told that British policy had “prevented” the Palestine Commission from going to the Holy Land “and starting to do its job” and that by had hampered and “frustrate” at every turn execution of the United Nations decision to take over the Palestine Mandate on 1 May. (NY TIMES and HERALD TRIBUNE)