A somber funeral took place here today for 20 Jews from Syria whose bodies were washed ashore during the week-end. Police Minister Behor Shitreet, participated in the rites for the Syrian Jews who had been attempting to reach Israel.
According to reports here, the Jews were smuggled out of Syria by a band of Arab seamen who promised to bring them to the Jewish state. Half-way between Beirut and Haifa, the reports say, the Arabs turned on their passengers and, after first stripping them of their valuables, murdered them and threw their bodies overboard.
Israel coastal police first discovered the bodies of the Jews. One corpse was sighted by an Italian vessel some 27 miles offshore. According to the French News Agency which functions in Syria, there were 30 Syrian Jews aboard the Arab vessel.
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