Jerusalem 1940s

Four months after the declaration of the State of Israel and for the first time for nearly 2,000 years an all-Jewish Supreme Court of Justice was opened in Jerusalem yesterday in the main hall of the former mandatory Government’s Supreme Court.

Eight persons are reported to have been killed by shelling in Jewish Jerusalem during the past 24 hours.

The Attorney-General of the Israelite Government to-day officially filed charges against Mr. William Sylvester and Mr. George Hawkins, formerly of the Jerusalem Electric and Public Service Corporation.

Neither Jews nor Arabs have yet evacuated their positions around the Red Cross zone near the former Government House in eastern Jerusalem.

The situation in Jerusalem is rapidly deteriorating. Arab Legion troops and irregulars continue sniping and occasionally hurl hand-grenades at Jewish army positions adjacent to the ancient city walls and shell Jewish suburbs.

The Irgun Zvai Leumi have informed the military governor of Jerusalem, Dr. Bernard Joseph, that, while they object in principle to the appointment of a military governor and the declaration of Jerusalem as occupied territory, they will submit to the governor’s decisions.

Before leaving for Egypt to-day Count Bernadotte had warned the Premier of Transjordan, Abul Huda Pasha, that interference with the flow of water to Jerusalem constituted a severe breach of the cease-fire terms.