In Jerusalem last week the British Crown tried to prosecute an Arab, potent Sheik Taleb Maraka, for instigating the "Hebron Massacre" of Jews (TIME, Sept. 9) August upon the Bench in beehive wigs and flowing gowns sat Mr. Justice Corrie and Mr. Justice Defreitas. This was going to be an exemplary trial. The Arab prisoner would be grilled by an Arab prosecutor. There were plenty of prosecution witnesses, already lamenting and smiting their breasts in the corridor. With an easy sauntering stride and a smile of contempt for the witnesses Prisoner Sheik Taleb Maraka entered, was escorted to the dock by an armed policeman.
Sixty-six Jews were butchered at Hebron. The Arab prosecutor did not seem to want to probe into that. To simple peasant witnesses he addressed questions remarkably prolix and abstruse, double questions, contradictory questions. Even so the witnesses managed to testify that they had seen Sheik Taleb Maraka publicly inciting Arabs to massacre, shouting that the faithful could settle any debts they might owe to Jews by slaughtering their creditors. One witness who thus testified was Superintendent Cafferata of the local British Police. When the Arab prosecutor sought to question Mr. Cafferata only on irrelevant topics, Mr. Justices Corrie and Defreitas became incensed, ordered another Arab to prosecute for the Crown on the morrow.
"Tell me, Sheik Taleb Maraka." began the second Arab prosecutor, "are you an enemy of the Jews?"
"As a matter of fact," smiled the prisoner blandly, "I am their friend."
"Did you incite the massacre of any Jews?"
"Never!" shouted the Sheik, smacking his fist on the dock. "Never in all my life have I led or addressed a crowd. ... I did not even learn of what happened until I read the police reports."
Exploded Mr. Justice Defreitas: "I refuse to believe that you, as a member of