“The remnants of the Jewish communities in the Arab world lead a shackled existence, uncertain of tomorrow and fearful for their lives and property,” Andrew Borowiec, foreign correspondent of the Washington Evening Star, reported from Beirut today. He added that “lack of prospects for an early settlement of the Arab-Israeli deadlock makes their position even more precarious. They are the easiest targets of Arab wrath and vengeance, the permanent hostages in the endless ethnic and religious feuds.”
Borowiec maintained that 20 years ago Jews in the Arab world numbered one million persons who “formed their own tightly knit communities and, to a great extent, dominated commerce and trade.” Those staying in Arab lands, he said, were merchants or professionals whose “material existence is frequently much better than that of the Arabs but the fear of being at the constant mercy of Arab governments and crowds makes their life a nerve wracking nightmare.” The Star concluded that “there is no doubt that the Jewish presence in the Arab world is witnessing its last years.”
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
