An appeal was issued here today to Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold, of the United Nations, asking him to intervene with the Government of Morocco “to safeguard the elementary rights of Moroccan Jewry.” The appeal was cabled to the UN chief by the North African Immigrants Association, which met here today.
In the cable, Mr. Hammarskjold was requested to use his influence to see to it that Morocco honors the UN Charter, to which it is a signatory. The message expressed horror over the death last week of 43 Moroccan Jews who perished in the Mediterranean Sea while “attempting to reach Israel to join their relatives,” and pointed out that these emigrants risked their lives “because Morocco had closed its doors to them.”
“This is proof,” the cable stated, “that they cannot continue to live under the intolerable regime in Morocco. We protest against limiting the free movement of Moroccan Jews, and we ask urgent action to improve the situation.” The message also protested against Morocco’s severance of postal relations with Israel and, in general, against discrimination practiced against Jews in Morocco.
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