Palestine-born Major Nehemia Pardo was acquitted today by a military court of charges of sedition and attempting to sow disaffection among the soldiers under his command. He had been in custody for over a month.
The charges were based on an address made by Major Pardo on the occasion of Chanukah, in which be was alleged to have attacked the British policy in Palestine and described Foreign Minister Bevin and Lord President of the Council Herbert Morrison as “fascists” who were trying to do to the Jews of Palestine what Hitler did to the Jews of Europe.
The chief persecution witness, sapper H.L. Levy, a British Jew, said that Pardo, who spoke in Hebrew, had referred to Britain as “a new enemy.” Levy admitted under cross-examination that he knew little Hebrew, and had been assisted by another soldier in translating the Major’s speech. When another witness against Pardo also admitted that he knew little Hebrew, the prosecution decided to drop the charges.
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