Although calm prevails outwardly now in Sfax, in Tunisia, where serious anti-Jewish outbreaks took place recently, both police and troops are still kept in readiness to prevent renewed trouble, in view of the extreme tension which continues to exist in the attitude of the Arabs towards the Jewish population, and alarming rumors are spreading.
Clashes keep breaking out in the market place. The Grand Rabbi of Sfax has been insulted by an Arab, who went by shouting: “Jews are burning down the Moslem Mosques in Russia.”
A Jewish doctor has been accused of having poisoned an Arab patient who died, and the situation created by this allegation became so serious that the authorities were compelled to order an investigation, as a result of which it has been officially established that death was due to natural causes.
The Sfax Arab Tribunal has sentenced several Arabs who were caught red-handed taking part in the disturbances to the minimum terms of punishment allowed by the law, ranging from a few days to three months’ imprisonment, while two Jews, Eli Amira and Salomon Berribi, who took part in the self-defense, have been sentenced to one month’s imprisonment and ordered to pay the cost of the damage done in the fighting, in which they were concerned. All sections of the Jewish population are united in protesting against these sentences.
“L’Oeuvre” states that it has learned that shortly before the outbreak, thirty Palestine Arabs arrived in Tunis, who, no doubt, were largely responsible for stirring up the trouble.
The J.T.A. here also learns that rumors of anti-Jewish outbreaks being prepared were in circulation in Sfax several days before the outbreak and that Arab workers who are employed by Jews showed extreme reluctance to come to work.
The “Reveil Juif,” published in Tunisia, which has reached here, declares:
“Calm is gradually being re-established in Sfax, and the village is once more assuming its peaceful appearance. Nevertheless, the inhabitants remain uneasy, for, if it is true that there are no more serious clashes, it is nonetheless true that incidents have not ceased altogether. The people were first excited by the story of a poisoning, agitators, according to their wont, having accused a Jewish doctor of having poisoned one of his patients. The authorities ordered a post-mortem by French doctors, but, although the calumny was denied, the mischief was done.
“On another occasion the Chief Rabbi was rudely challenged and threatened because “Jews set fire to the mosques in Russia!” His neighbor, an Arab, came to his rescue, and a move was made to the Controller, by whom the aggressors were reassured. Small incidents of this nature, occurring each moment, are not calculated to lead to peace.
“It is a pleasing fact that not only the authorities, French and Arab, but also many notable Moslems, have done everything in their power to establish order once again. Conspicuous among those who worked hardest and best for the public peace was M. Schwartz, the Commissioner of Police.
“The Cadi is also worthy of the highest praise. Last Wednesday, in the Great Mosque, he reprimanded the authors of the troubles, and preached harmony and fraternity, and, together with the Civil Controller, he and his Caliphate have done everything in their
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.
