American Jewish Committee Sees Danger for 120, 000 Jews in Algeria

The three-day annual meeting of the American Jewish Committee opened here tonight with a warning that the mounting crisis in the parliamentary system of France could create a serious threat to the safety of Algeria’s 120, 000 Jews placing them “between pincers of extreme fanaticism,” The warning was sounded by Alan M, Stroock, chairman of the American Jewish Committee’s Foreign Affairs Committee, who emphasized the danger to Algeria’s Jews on the basis of a report from Paris.

Without the control and influence of a moderate and responsible central regime in France, Mr. Stroock said, extremist, anti-Semitic forces “would automatically become a decisive political factor on the French side in Algeria,” At the same time, “failing a solution to the Algerian conflict, the rebels and a substantial portion of the Moslem population would be certain to join Colonel Nasser’s side irrevocably.”

Mr. Stroock warned that “between these pincers of extreme fanaticism, no reasonable chance would remain for the safety of the Jewish population for whom only mass flight might offer a way out,” He emphasized that the major political parties in France, except for the Communists and some extremist groups, were still dedicated to democratic principles and were greatly concerned about these developments. However, they felt that no tangible improvement of the situation could be expected until the North African problem could be amicably resolved.

Of France itself, Mr. Stroock reported that “an anti-democratic, anti-Semitic group exists within the Paris police force,” Citing the report from the Committee’s European office, Mr. Stroock stressed that “many pro-democratic groups in France see in the deteriorating political situation a real danger to the parliamentary regime, and many have been calling upon the government to take appropriate measures.”

CONCERN EXPRESSED OVER RECENT ANTI-SEMITIC INCIDENTS IN PARIS

Sigled out for particular concern were some of the recent police demonstrations in Paris which reverberated with strong themes of an anti-democratic and anti-Semitic nature The police anti-Semitic manifestations and similar incidents “are symptomatic of the deeply troubled condition in France,” Mr. Stroock said.

The major cause for the police disorders in mid-March was based on dissatisfaction with salaries. However Mr. Stroock emphasized that a group in the police department “on several occasions has manifested partisanship in favor of various anti-democratic cliques which have recently become more active and more vocal as a result of tensions arising out of the Algerian war,”

Turning to the Middle East, Mr. Stroock reported that the recent union of Egypt and Syria in the United Arab Republic “has greatly increased the hardships suffered by Syria’s 7, 000 Jews. ” Emphasizing that emigration from that country has become “an inevitable necessity,” he said; “In the fanatic mood of nationalist demonstrations in the cities of Syria, the Jews have been surrounded by greater hostility than ever before. We have received reports to the effect that not only were Jews compelled to cease all business activity, but also to stay in their homes for fear of atrocities.”

Regarding Morocco and Tunisia, Mr. Stroock said that no reports of change have been received on the situation and the “basically correct treatment of Jews in those countries.” However, the repercussions of the Algerian conflict are being felt indirectly and Tunisian Jews are growingly disturbed by “the recently marked growth of the pro-Nasser, anti-Western influence from Cairo.”