The formal opinion of the Jews in Palestine regarding the verdict issued yesterday by the military court which conducted the “arms trial” will be voiced on Monday at a special session of the Assefath Hanivcharim, the Jewish National Assembly, called for this purpose.
Meanwhile, the Jewish National Council of Palestine, which is the executive body of the Assembly, today issued a statement declaring that the prosecution was directed not merely against Leib Sirkin and Abraham Rachlin, the two Jews who were sentenced to ten and seven years imprisonment, respectively. “The prosecution tried to impugn the Yishuv, its institutions and its contributions to the war effort,” the statement said. “The Jews of Palestine and their institutions were silent during the trial because they did not wish to interfere with the court’s procedure. Now they are free to express their opinion on Monday. In the meantime the Jewish community of Palestine will restrain itself and take the verdict quietly in order to make it possible to take lawful and authorized action.”
At a press conference arranged today by the Palestine Government, it was announced that the War Economic Advisory Council, which was established recently, is a purely economic body and has no political or legislative functions, therefore its members were not appointed in proportion to the numerical strength of the various sections of the Palestine population.
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