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Rome Community Deplores Beating Up of Arab Student Demonstrators

December 2, 1969
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Rome’s Jewish community today officially deplored the beating of six Arab students by Jews near Rome’s synagogue after the Arabs participated in an anti-Israel rally of the Communist-sponsored “solidarity with Palestine” group. The beatings took place after a heated discussion between inhabitants of the Jewish quarter and the Arabs. The six students were treated at a near-by hospital.

Trouble was brewing when the Arab students announced earlier that they intended to march to the Jewish quarter. The march was forbidden by police. But anti-Israel leaflets were thrown during a parade of striking workers and an alleged attempt was made to smear the synagogue with political slogans.

The “Solidarity With Palestine” rally, held indoors, was attended by about 300 Arab students and Italian Communist youth. The speakers included two emissaries from El Fatah. The Palestinian guerrilla organization. Their statements were reportedly more moderate than the Italian Communists’. It was learned that after that rally. anti-Communist Arab students decided to disavow the extremists.

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