Twelve Young Zealots Sentenced in Jerusalem for Stoning Buses

Twelve young religions zealots were sentenced by a magistrate here today to five days imprisonment each, after being convicted of having caused a Sabbath disturbance yesterday, near the Mandelbaum Gate, by stoning buses and damaging bus stations. Six others, all under 16, were detained by police. One of the latter group is a son of Dr. Zorach Warhaftig, Minister for Religious Affairs.

The melee started when members of the ultra-Orthodox Neturei Karta massed near the Mandelbaum Gate where Israeli buses has been lined up to transport Baptist pilgrims entering this country from Jordan-held part of Jerusalem, for a tour of Israel. The Baptists are members of a large group of their faith holding a world conference at Beirut, Lebanon.

The ultra-Orthodox youths started throwing stones at the buses. Israeli police tried to halt the demonstration. For a time, the riot was quieted when the police authorities convinced the demonstrators that all of the bus drivers were non-Jewish and were, therefore, not violating the Sabbath. However, the rioting was resumed when Neturei Karta adherents charged that some of the buses were owned by the Hamkasher Cooperative, all of whose members are Jewish.

Considerable damage was caused by the rioters. When several of the demonstrators were arrested, their colleagues tried to rescue them, and the fighting between the rioters and police was intensified. Two policemen were injured.

The bus company suspended service today in the Mea Shaarim quarter, where the Neturei Karta adherents live. Bus firm officials said the service had been halted because many vehicles needed repairs. Members of the Neturei Karta set up their own transport in automobiles mobilized to take residents of their quarter to or from work.