Dr. Haim Shoskes, HIAS official, reported today that during his recently-concluded visit to Cairo he was assured by a spokesman of the Egyptian Foreign Ministry that all Jews detained as a result of the Arab-Israel war last year had been released. The spokesman said all Jews in Egypt enjoy the fullest freedom in their business activities, Dr. Shoshkes added.
Egypt does not hinder the emigration of Jews, Dr. Shoshkes quoted the Cairo spokesman as saying, adding that the Egyptian noted that transports left Egyptian ports weekly with many Jewish passengers aboard. During his visit, Dr. Shoshkes reported, he conferred with Egyptian Chief Rabbi Haim Nahum Effendi and with leaders of the Jewish community on the present situation of Egyptian Jews. They sported, Dr. Shoshkes said, that 20,000 Jews left the country in the past 12 months, and the Jewish community was now reduced to 70,000. of these, 30,000 were in Alexandria and 40,000 in Cairo.
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