In July 1948, the UN Truce Commission increased the prospect of reopening the Jerusalem–Tel Aviv road and restoring water supply, while limited demilitarization and truce arrangements brought relative quiet to the city.
The UN Truce Commission has begun discussions on the resumption of civilian traffic between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. It appears there are good prospects for the opening of the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv road via Ramla in the coming days. The only difficulty concerns a small section of the road between the Latrun Trappist Monastery and Ramla, which is not yet under the control of the Israel Defense Forces. The Armistice Committee intends to reinstate monitoring patrols to oversee traffic between the two cities.
Colonel Frank Bagley, Count Bernadotte’s representative on the Truce Commission, traveled to Tel Aviv to negotiate with the Provisional Government of Israel regarding the implementation of monitoring patrols and to receive the government’s proposals. He will then proceed to the Arab Legion lines to conclude negotiations. In Tel Aviv, Colonel Bagley will also address the resumption of water supply from Rosh Ha’ayin to Jerusalem. Colonel Bagley demands that the King David Hotel building be handed over to the Truce Commission, at least as long as the truce continues. The Jewish authorities oppose handing over this building to the Commission and are prepared to offer other buildings. The King David Hotel is located in a Jewish-controlled area, which is strategically significant.
Demilitarization of a Section of a Road
The section of the road between the Mandelbaum Building and the neutral zone on Mount Scopus has been demilitarized by the UN Supervisory Commission, on both sides of the road. In the front line area near St. George’s Church all the way to the Mandelbaum Building, Jews and Arabs were allowed to install barbed wire fences as outlined by the commanders of the Arab Legion and the Jerusalem brigades of the Israel Defense Forces during their meeting on Wednesday. The demilitarization of the road is intended to allow free movement for UN observers stationed on Mount Scopus.
Evacuation of Corpses
Once the barbed wire fences are completed, Jewish workers will begin clearing the ruins of the Mandelbaum Building to retrieve the bodies of those killed in the explosion. So far, the boundaries of the neutral zone on the southern Jerusalem front have not been defined, mainly due to opposition from Egyptian army commanders stationed on this front. The past 24 hours in Jerusalem have passed quietly, with no violations of the truce reported anywhere.
