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Delegates at London Jewish Conference Report on Anti-semitism in Their Countries

February 26, 1946
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Anti-Semitism in France is promoted by persons who are unwilling to return Jewish property, but anti-Jewish feelings are not widespread, Judge Leon Meiss, president of the Central Representation of the Jews of France, reported here today at the conference on post-war Jewish problems convoked jointly by the Anglo-Jewish Association and the American Jewish Committee.

Dr. Louis Oungre, director of the Jewish Colonization Association, addressing the conference, urged the UNO to take immediate steps to facilitate the emigration of a substantial number of European Jews. While there is hope that the Jews of Western Europe will be able to reconstruct their lives in their native lands, the emigration of Jews from Poland, Rumania, Hungary and other East European countries is inevitable and is of such potential magnitude that private organizations are unable to cope with it, he emphasized.

Pointing out that Palestine continues to be one of the largest potential centers for Jewish immigration; Dr. Oungre demanded that other countries also be considered as places of immigration for Jews from Europe. “The international migration policy must be that no country should discriminate against immigrants on the ground of their race, creed or color.”

Samuel Eisenman of Holland reported that one-half of the 20,000 Jews in his country are in need of immediate relief. Many of them, he said, wish to emigrate to Palestine. He emphasized that anti-Jewish feelings, implanted by Nazi propaganda during the occupation, are still rife in Holland.

E.F.Q. Henriques, speaking for the Anglo-Jewish Association, urged the establishment of a Jewish Rehabilitation Fund consisting of reparations to be paid by Germany for Jewish losses. He expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that under the procedure set up by the Allied Reparations Commission, stateless Jews cannot claim damages since claims of individuals must be submitted to their respective governments. He urged the delegates to appeal to their governments to treat foreign Jews resident in their countries as nationals, and accept their claims for reparations for property looted by the Nazis.

Gundar Josephson of Sweden reported that thousands of Polish Jews are now living in Sweden as refugees and do not wish to return to Poland.

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