Two more Palestinian Jews were today sentenced to death by a British military court here, bringing to seven the total number of Jews standing in the shadow of the gallows this Passover eve. The condemned men are Meir Feinstein and Daniel Azulai. Two other defendants, Moshe Horowitz and Massoud Bouton, were acquitted.
The four youths were arrested last October 30 following a terrorist attack on Jerusalem’s central railroad station, during which a British constable was killed and considerable damage was inflicted on the station and nearby buildings. During the nine-day trial the two condemned men refused to participate, declaring that they did not recognize the court’s jurisdiction and demanding that they be treated as prisoners of war. The others, after first refusing to participate in the trial, later defended themselves, pleading that they were passers-by who were mistakenly arrested.
Feinstein was sentenced to death following a government "expert’s" testimony that he was at least 18 years old. The death sentence may not be imposed on anybody under that age. His brother attempted several times to tell the court that he was only 17, but he was refused permission to testify. Since the defendent’s birth certificate was missing, the "expert" was ordered to estimate his age.
Earlier this morning, the Palestine Supreme Court announced that it will rule Monday on the appeal by Tel Aviv Mayor Israel Rokach to set aside the death sentence imposed on Dov Gruner. Lt. Gen. Gordon H.A. MacMillan, Palestine military commander, and the president of the army court which convicted Gruner will appear in court Monday before the decision is announced.
PALESTINE LABOR LEADER SHOT IN JERUSALEM BY BRITISH SOLDIER
Joseph Frumkin, a labor leader, was shot and seriously wounded today in the Mekor Hayim quarter of Jerusalem. Although the official announcement of the attack said that Frumkin was shot by "unknown persons", it was learned that his attackers were British soldiers.
David Ben Gurion’s warning to the terrorists this week that the Haganah would fight force with force was implemented last night for the first time when eleven settlers from villages surrounding Kiryat Hayim were beaten by groups of masked Jews on suspicion that they had blasted the settlement’s only local source of water early this week.
Two British soldiers were seriously wounded when a truck in which they were travelling was blown up by a landmine on a road near Haifa. The mine, which was camouflaged as a road marker, was detonated from a nearby apartment house in the Hadar Hacarmel section. British soldiers later searched all the houses on the block to which the electric wires had been traced.
The publication of an ordinance empowering the High Commissioner to suspend bus traffic throughout the country, was seen here as a further indication that the government is proceeding with its plans for the imposition of "Operation Thorn" in the event of further trouble. The ordinance also gives the High Commissioner jurisdiction over private vehicular traffic.
Some 750 Jews arrived in Haifa this morning from Cyprus. They will be held at the Athlit clearance camp pending release under a monthly immigration quota. Originally, the authorities intended to postpone their return until after the Passover holiday, but because of tension in the Caraolos camp, they were permitted to leave yesterday.
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