Anti-jewish Terror Continues in Baghdad; Airlift of Jews from Iraq is Speeded Up

Operation Ali Baba–the airlift transporting Iraqi Jews from Bagdad to Israel–was speeded up today as arrivals from the Iraqi capital reported the spread of terror among the 54,000 Jews awaiting transfer to the Jewish state. Four transport planes, flying the direct Bagdad-Lydda route, brought in 478 Iraqi Jews in the 24-hour period ending at midnight today. Additional planes were put into the operation today.

The new arrivals confirmed reports brought earlier this week by immigrants of a reign of terror in Bagdad. They said that customs officials, checking the emigrants at Bagdad airport, were ruthless in their confiscation of personal effects carried by the travellers. Checks and drafts drawn on foreign banks carried by some of the emigrants were seized by the customs officials who said they would be sent on to Lydda by the next plane. So far, none of these confiscated checks were received here.

In Bagdad, they said, Jewish shopkeepers were forbidden to take foodstuffs from their own shops to feed their families and face starvation since they cannot reach Arab groceries which are distant from the Jewish quarter, Jews have been forbidden to ride bicycles. Departing Jews are not permitted to take any luggage with them without a special police permit. Since the police determine what the emigrating Jew may take with him, any policemen is free to make his own confiscations.

BANKS “FREEZE” $16,000,000 JEWISH DEPOSITS; $28,000,000 OF PROPERTY SEQUESTERED

All Iraqi banks, closed for two days following the government proclamation freezing Jewish accounts and the decision to sequester the property of all Jews registered for emigration to Israel, were reopened yesterday. Although the freezing order was supposed to apply only to those Jews registered for emigration, in practice, it was reported today, it was extended to all Jews in Iraq. Those Jews nor registered for emigration, reportedly received assurances that they would receive special certificates but were not told when. The Cabinet decree provides for establishment of an alien property custodians committee.

The government took the strictest measures to prevent leakage of information as to its decisions on Jewish property. Government and Senate deliberations on the question were held in strictest secrecy and the Bagdad telephone service was suspended for several hours before the freezing order was issued in order to prevent Jews from withdrawing their deposits in the banks.

Jewish back deposits affected by the order are estimated to reach the total with million dinar, and sequestered Jewish property is valued at ten million. (A dinar is $2,80). The Beirut radio and other Arab sources reported today that a complete economic standstill prevails in Iraq and predicted that this stagnation will continue for some time.

As the Iraqi police continued to close down all shops and businesses owned by Jews registered for emigration, the Beirut radio warred that this would have severe repercussions on all Iraqi commerce and industry. It predicted that thousands of Iraqi Arab merchants who had business relationships with the Jews would protest strongly. The Arab radio station also reported that the wealthy Jews and landowners in Iraq had succeeded in transferring the greater part of their fortunes abroad before the freeze order entered into effect.

In Tel Aviv, the panic-stricken Iraqi Jewish colony sent a delegation headed by the manager of the Ottoman Bank to the Israel Foreign Ministry’s Eastern Division, urging greater efforts to speed the airlift since they fear that the Iraqi Government will take even more drastic measures and intern the Jews in concentration camps pending their departure.