Scenes of the Nebi-Nusa festivals, the arrival of the Zionist Commission, and the Grand Mosque of Omar, all in Jerusalem, April 1918.

I. The Nebi-Nusa festivals of 26 April. Lieutenant-Colonel Ronald Storrs, the military governor of Jerusalem, helps assemble the sacred banners, and they are taken in a procession, which includes some Arab soldiers, to the Mount of Olives with much dancing and singing. II. The arrival of the Zionist Commission, headed by Dr Chaim Weizmann, in Jerusalem on 3 April. The commission includes Major E A de Rothschild. On 11 April they go in procession to the Mount of Olives to deliver speeches, accompanied by members of the Maccabi Athletic Association and the banners of various Jewish workers' associations. The West Wall (or Wailing Wall) of the Temple of Solomon is also shown. III. The Great Mosque of Omar, guarded by 58th (Vaughan's) Rifles. Soldiers of Egyptian 1st Infantry Regiment, headed by a band including bagpipers, marches to the mosque. The Egyptians remove their boots before entering the mosque. Lieutenant-Colonel Storrs converses with the officers of the battalion while they wait.

Notes

Production: this appears to be one of the post-war compilations made by Jury from official material as part of his reward for controlling wartime film production. It may, however, be an official film sponsored by the MoI before the end of 1918.

Summary: see also IWM 19 and IWM 27 which contain most of the rough material for this film.

Remarks: A good example of the difference that editing can make to sometimes indifferent material. Also of considerable historical value.

Series continuity: there is no film held under the numbers IWM 46 - IWM 57 inclusive.