Nazis Direct Jewish Persecutions in Egypt; 300 Jews Arrested

Persecution of the Jews in Egypt is being directed by Nazi war criminals who have found shelter in that country and who were asked by the Egyptian Government to establish a special “Jewish Department” along Nazi lines, the newspaper Davar reported here today on the basis of information it received from a foreign diplomat who came here from Egypt after the current trial of 13 Egyptian Jews on charges of espionage began before a Cairo military court.

The same diplomat stated that some 300 Egyptian Jews have already been arrested by the German heads of the Jewish Department. He warned that the situation will worsen unless some action is taken to provide safety for Egyptian Jews.

The anti-Jewish campaign is proceeding in distinct phases, the Davar informant stated. The first was the removal of all Jews from key posts. This has been accomplished and no Jew is now employed in the government, in banks, schools or important business concerns. Even Jewish physicians employed in Jewish hospitals have been ousted on the charge that they are not Egyptian citizens. The Jews are actually living off each other.

The second step was a propaganda campaign aimed at the Jews as “the destroyers of the country’s economy” and the “Jews are our dogs.” The results of this campaign are such that Jews are afraid to stay in areas which are basically non-Jewish and are even afraid to attend the cinema. Bar Mitzvahs, weddings and birth parties are labelled “unlawful gatherings” and are raided by agents of the Nazi-type Jewish Department.

The diplomat reported that such raids on Jewish ceremonies have caused a great panic in the Jewish community and have resulted in many Jews being jailed on charges of illegal assembly. Some of these Jews have been sentenced and others are awaiting trial. News reels showing Egyptian guards beating Jewish prisoners on forced labor projects have been wildly applauded, the diplomat said.