This is an article published in the Al Hamishmar newspaper on August 28, 1950, presenting a report by the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) about the situation of Libyan Jews. The article describes the panic gripping the Jews of Libya in anticipation of its independence and their urgent desire to immigrate to Israel. According to the article, Jews from all over Libya had flocked to the capital, Tripoli, in fear of renewed riots. The article recalls the riots of the Jews November 1945, in which at least 300 Jews were killed or injured and their shops were looted. The article emphasizes that “Libyan Jews want to leave the country at all costs.” According to the JDC report, 20,000 Jews had already emigrated from Tripoli and another 15,000 were waiting for permits to immigrate to Israel. Most of them were reported as being sick and weak and being assisted by a local aid committee.
Riots against the Jews of Tripoli broke out in November 1945 against the background of the rise of Arab nationalism in Libya and the deteriorating economic situation. Additional riots broke out in June 1948, following the establishment of the State of Israel. The riots, the establishment of the State, and the opening of the gates of aliyah strengthened the desire of Libyan Jews to immigrate to Israel. Indeed, most of the Jews from Libya had immigrated by the end of 1951, 3,000 of whom had immigrated even before the establishment of the State. After the declaration of Libya’s independence in 1951, only about 4,000 Jews remained. These Jews left Libya after the riots that took place during the Six-Day War. There are no Jews living in Libya today.
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Jewish Community of Tripoli, Libya – Tripoli is the largest city in Libya. The first mention of a Jewish community in Tripoli is on a fourth-century Roman road map which details a Jewish neighbourhood. It is speculated that the first Jewish residents of Tripoli were, in fact, slaves. After the Ottoman conquest of Tripoli in 1551, life became easier for the Jewish community, and Jews started moving there from Italy, Tunisia, and Algiers. From 1911 to 1943, Tripoli was under Italian rule, and the Jewish community was treated very well. Jews were completely emancipated and were allowed to work in all professions. There were also Jewish schools, synagogues, and religious leaders. In 1931, there were 21,000 Jews living in Libya, most of them in Tripoli. In 1939, with the rise of Italian fascism, anti-Semitic laws were passed and life became very difficult for the Jews of Tripoli. Those who were British or French citizens were deported to Nazi concentration camps, but most of the Tripoli Jewish community worked in labour camps where, receiving enough food to eat, they mostly survived the Holocaust. The situation for the Jews became much worse after the war, following the liberation of Libya by the Allied Forces in 1945. A pogrom broke out killing approximately 140 Jews and beginning the exodus of Jews from Tripoli. After the creation of the State of Israel, conditions deteriorated for the 20,000 Jews living in Tripoli, and many immigrated to Israel. After the Six-Day War in 1967, most of the few remaining Jews moved to Italy or Israel. In 1969 the Jews were expelled from Libya and their property was confiscated. The last Jew left Libya in 2003, and there are currently no Jews living there.
Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) – Also called the Joint, the JDC was founded in New York in 1914 with the goal of providing assistance to Jews living in pre-State Israel during Ottoman rule. The Joint quickly expanded its mission to include providing assistance to Jews around the world and rescuing them from hostile countries. The Joint is currently active in more than 70 countries.
Al Hamishmar – Al Hamishmar (On Guard) was first published in 1943 by the Kibbutz Artzi movement which was affiliated with Hashomer Hatzair. After the creation of the State of Israel, Al Hamishmar became the newspaper of the Mapam party. The paper stopped publishing in 1995.
