ISRAEL: Bloody Ghost

On April 9, 1948, in the first days of the Arab-Israeli war, Jewish terrorists of the Stern Gang and Irgun Z-vai Leumi encircled Deir Yassin, an Arab village a few miles west of Jerusalem, and by loud speaker demanded its surrender. Their leader carried a cautionary wire from the regional commander of the Haganah, the predecessor of the Israeli army: "I learn you plan an attack on Deir Yassin. I have no objection [but] I warn you against blowing up the village ..."

The village of Deir Yassin replied to the terrorists with gunfire; a battle began. Up to then, the...

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