Sephardi Leaders in Israel Start Efforts to Prevent Riots; Direct Campaign

Leaders of North African immigrant communities in various parts of Israel have started an effort to prevent recurrences of recent rioting in Haifa, Migdal Haemek and Beersheba, it was disclosed today.

The program includes information campaigns, house-to-house calls, talks to groups by rabbis, teachers and labor leaders. The goal is to give reassurance to North African newcomers concerning real or fancied grievances believed to have been a major factor in the riots. Committees plan to set up lists of complaints from the immigrants and also all allegations of discrimination. The lists will be turned over to municipal and national authorities.

Despite indications that such tensions were subsiding, police were maintaining an alert at sensitive localities, including Jerusalem. It was reported that at least three outbreaks were stopped in early stagess in Jerusalem, Kiryat Shmoneh and Hatzor in northern Israel. Groups at these places started to incite residents but the groups dispersed immediately when police made a show of strength.