Jews in Morocco Reported Feeling Insecure Despite Assurances

Despite assurances by leaders of the nationalist party which now forms the Moroccan Government there is a feeling of insecurity among Jews in that country and the “desire to emigrate is growing in intensity,” the Board of Deputies of British Jews was told today.

In a report on North Africa, the Board’s Foreign Affairs Committee said that as far as emigration is concerned–“and this affects hundreds of thousands of people in North Africa”–Much depends on developments in Israel and means that can be found outside Israel for the immigration and settlement of Jews from North Africa.

The Foreign Affairs Committee also reported that the position of those Jews remaining in the Crown Colony of Aden has caused “considerable anxiety” in view of recent developments in that area marked by growing hostility of the Arabs against British authority there. The Colonial Office here has been approached on the matter, it was disclosed, and assurances were received that every precaution has been taken to maintain the security of all citizens and sections in Aden.

At the meeting in which the assurances were obtained, the question of representation for the Jewish community in the Aden Legislative Council was also raised. Such representations were discontinued only this year. The point was made by the British Jewish leaders that although the Jewish community of Aden had been considerably reduced in numbers–mainly as a result of Arab excesses in 1947–those that still remained constituted an important section in the commercial life of Aden and, with their long tradition of loyalty and service, were fully deserving of and needed direct representation of their interests as a community. Such representation, it was maintained, would be afforded by membership in the Legislative Council.