Jewish Delegation Discusses Moroccan Emigration with State Department

The problem of Jewish emigration from Morocco was discussed with the State Department today by a delegation of Jewish leaders headed by Irving M. Engel, president of the American Jewish Committee.

The delegation, which was received by George V. Allen, Assistant Secretary of State for the Near East and Africa, also raised the question of the situation in Tunisia and the plight of the Jews in Syria. In addition to Mr. Engel, the delegation included Dr. John Slawson, executive vice-president of the American Jewish Committee, and Murray I Gurfein, president of the United Hias Service.

From Morocco it was reported today that a representative of the World Jewish Congress is conducting “discreet” talks with the Moroccan authorities which may result at least in securing permission for the emigration to Israel of the more than 2,000 Moroccan Jews now concentrated in a transient emigration camp at Casablanca. These Jews liquidated their homes and entered the camp before the Moroccan Government issued its ban on collective Jewish emigration.

The World Jewish Congress, according to the report is also seeking to convince the Moroccan authorities to permit the emigration of other Moroccan Jews who have liquidated their homes in anticipation of leaving for Israel. Negotiations are also being conducted for the issuance of individual passports to some or all the Jews caught by the ban on collective emigration.