Gen. Henri Giraud, addressing a press conference in North Africa, briefly but clearly stated his views on the question of rescinding the anti-Jewish laws which were introduced in Morocco and Algeria by the Viehy regime prior to the landing of American forces.
Gen. Giraud, who is the High Commissioner for French North and West Africa, emphasized that he considers the Jewish question a purely internal affair of the French administration. He said that he does not sympathize with the Nazi anti-Semitic theories which the Vichy regime carried out, but would not permit the “world as a whole” to press him into any action on the Jews which would interfere with the internal affairs of his regime.
Gen. Giraud then made it clear that Jews in North Africa will get back the property which was confiscated from them under Vichy’s “Aryanization” laws, and that Jewish children will be re-admitted to the schools. “But,” he added, “these moves must be made gradually.”
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