Irgunists in Jerusalem Surrender Their Arms to Govt; Dissidents to Join Army Today

Israeli troops this morning surrounded an Irgun military camp in the Katamon quarter of Jerusalem at the expiration of a 24-hour ultimatum to the Irgun Zvai Loumi to disband as an organization and order its members to join the army, without attaching conditions to their service. In line with the Irgun’s announced policy of acceding to the ultimatum, there was no resistance from the Irgunists who handed over their arms to the government troops.

An official announcement revealed that under the terms of the Irgun’s acceptance of the ultimatum, all former Irgunists will present themselves at Israeli Army recruiting stations as of 9 A.M. tomorrow morning. The announcement revealed that Irgun arms stores and weapons in the hands of individual members would be surrendered from noon today. The disbandment was signed by the Irgun leadership in Jerusalem this morning.

The seven-point ultimatum stated: 1. All Irgunists must observe the laws of Israel in regard to army recruitment and possession of arms; 2. They must Join the Israeli Army; 3. They must surrender their arms immediately; 4. They must take an cath of allegiance to the Government; 5. Irgunists will be treated like all other Jews 6. No Irgunists will suffer for broaches of the law or military code committed previous to the disbandment order, if the order is complied with; 7. If in the stated period the ultimatum is not accepted, the Israeli Army will act with all the means at its disposal.

A government spokesman, asked by newsmen what the government would do in the event that Irgunists abroad continued their activities, replied that if such Irgunists are Israeli citizens the government will punish them in accordance with the law.

Following on the heels of yesterday’s public announcement by the government that the Stern Group has been outlawed as a terrorist organization, the Sternist newspaper Mivrak was today raided and closed down. All personnel at the newspaper’s plant were arrested and the property is liable to confiscation under the emergency regulations.

Foreign Minister Meshe Shertok has received a copy of a message addressed to U.N. Secretary-General Trygve-Lie by 11,000 Cyprus detainees. The Jews expressed their condemnation of the Bernadotte assassination and protested the latest Cyprus law which recently legalized their continued imprisonment on the island. The message pointed out that the law was in opposition to the entire legal history of Britain.

Iraqi artillery today opened fire again against Jewish positions at Bin Shomer, a village lying inland about halfway between Tel Aviv and Haifa. At the very time the Arabs opened fire a U.N. observation team was in the area checking Jewish complaints of earlier Arab violations.