SMOKING HOUSE; PEOPLE WATCHING; CRATER & SHRAPNEL IN ROAD; DAMAGED SHOPS; MILITARY GOVERNOR; PEOPLE CLEARING DEBRIS.




Initials LD/VS/MR/SGM



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Background: FOLLOWING ATTACKS BY RUSSIAN-MADE ROCKETS FIRED FROM JORDAN, THE ANCIENT BIBLICAL CITY OF JERICHO TODAY (WEDNESDAY) BEGAN TO CLEAN UP THE DEBRIS WHILE THEIR MAYOR APPEALED TO THE ISRAELI MILITARY GOVERNOR FOR BOMB SHELTERS. SEVERAL HOUSES WERE DESTROYED BUT THE ONLY CASUALTY WAS A SLIGHTLY-INJURED POLICEMAN. THE OCCUPANTS OF ONE HOUSE THAT RECEIVED A DIRECT HIT WERE SAVED AS THEY WERE SLEEPING OUTDOORS BECAUSE OF THE HEAT.

FIVE KATIUSHA ROCKETS DROPPED ON THE CITY ABOUT MIDNIGHT - AND THE WORST DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY ONE THAT FELL ON THE MAIN CITY SQUARE, DESTROYING THREE SHOPS AND DAMAGING ANOTHER SEVEN. THE FACT THAT MOST OF THE BUILDING HIT WERE MADE OF MUD APPEARS TO ACCOUNT FOR THE LOW NUMBER OF WOUNDED.

WHILE MANY ARAB INHABITANTS OF JERICHO APPEARED BEWILDERED BY AN ATTACK LAUNCHED ON A CITY WHOSE POPULATION OF 10,000 IS VIRTUALLY ALL ARAB, THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT WARNED JORDAN THAT THEY MIGHT BE FORCED TO TAKE REPRISALS IF THE ATTACKS CONTINUED. A SECOND ATTACK TOOK PLACE THIS EVENING - MORE BUILDINGS DAMAGED, ONE HOUSE DESTROYED AND ANOTHER CIVILIAN INJURED - BUT OFFICIAL REACTION HAS NOT YET BEEN REPORTED.

IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE ROCKETS ARE BEING FIRED BY GUERILLAS, AS ISRAELI MILITARY OBSERVERS SAID THAT JORDANIAN REGULAR FORCES DO NOT USE THE 240 MM KATIUSHA ROCKETS.