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From: jho@ihlpa.UUCP (Yosi Hoshen)
Newsgroups: net.politics,net.religion,net.nlang.india
Subject: Re: Arab tolerance (and the Jews)
Message-ID: <965@ihlpa.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 26-Dec-85 13:48:29 EST
Article-I.D.: ihlpa.965
Posted: Thu Dec 26 13:48:29 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 28-Dec-85 01:01:16 EST
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Responding to Yakim Martillo, Nidhal Guessoum writes regarding Arab/Muslim
tolerance:

> 	   ... ( Jewish and Christian ) communities exist to
> 	   this day everywhere in the muslim world.
> 	   How do you interpret the fact that a reunion of the 
> 	   world Jewish council was held in Morocco two years ago?

Nidhal is claiming that Jews are living in peace and tranquility in
the Arab world.  The following statistical information on the number
of Jews living in Arab Countries in 1948 and at present illustrate
that these claims are baseless.


		Jewish Population
		-----------------

Country            1948  		present

Egypt		 75,000			    300
Libya		 40,000			      0
Syria		 45,000                   4,000
Iraq		125,000			    300
Lebanon          20,000     		     50
Yemen            54,000			      0
South Yemen	  7,000			      0
Tunisia		110,000			      0
Moroco          300,000			 20,000
Algeria		150,000			    500

With the exception of Syria and Moroco the number of Jews in Arab
countries is negligible.  Most Jews from Arab lands (and their 
descendants) form now  the majority group  in Israel.

The question is what happened to those who have stayed in Arab countries.
Except for Moroco, their situation has been bad.  Two examples illustrate
this point.  The Jews in Syria live in constant fear.  They are not
allowed to leave the counry.  In Iraq in 1969 Jews were hanged in
public squares for alleged "spying".

Nidhal is correct in singling Moroco as tolerant towards the Jews.
The relative good fortunes of the Jews in Moroco can be attributed
to one person, King Hassan, the ruler of Moroco.  King Hassan does
his best to protect the Jews from the more radical elements of
the Morocan society such as the Istiqial Party. Furthermore, King 
Hassan has worked behind the scence to promote coexistance and peace
between Arabs and Jews in the Middle East.  If other Arab Leaders would
follow suit we would be nearer to peace.


-- 
Yosi Hoshen, AT&T Bell Laboratories
Naperville, Illinois,  Mail: ihnp4!ihlpa!jho