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26 Iyar 5762 - May 8, 2002 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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NEWS
Bogus Announcements of Increased Aliya are Harmful to North African Jews
by S. Fried

Indiscreet publicity regarding the organization of a special "aliya operation" for Jews in Tunisia and Morocco following the terrorist bombing in Djerba could endanger Jews there who currently enjoy freedom and equal rights, warn immigrants from North Africa.

Two weeks ago reports in Israel surfaced that a covert, emergency aliya operation was being planned for Moroccan and Tunisian Jews. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said, "We have been receiving reports on a state of emergency among Jews in Morocco and in Tunisia and we are examining possibilities to induce these Jews to immigrate to Israel." A high-ranking Jewish Agency official said, "Current discussions focus on the question of improving the terms of absorption for immigrants from these countries so that when the Jews receive the information it will help encourage them to immigrate."

In contrast, spokesmen for various kehillos in those areas expressed satisfaction with the current situation in their respective countries. The King of Morocco, currently on a visit to the United States, included the president of Morocco's Jewish community, Serge Bardugo, as part of his entourage. Sam Ben-Shitreet, chairman of the World Federation of Moroccan Jews, says, "What better evidence could there be of the close relations between the royal court and the Jewish community?"

"Relations between Israel and Morocco will remain good forever," added Ben-Shitreet.

Says Andre Azoulai, the King's economic advisor, "Rumors about a state of emergency are aggravating and provocative. Unlike the situation in Israel, we live in harmony with our Arab neighbors. An emergency plan of this sort could ruin our relations with our Arab neighbors and could impact relations between the Jewish community in Morocco and Israel."

According to press reports Jewish Agency representatives also claim there is no emergency plan. Anyone who wants to immigrate to Israel comes of his own free will, generally via France.

Some 3,000 Jews currently reside in Morocco and another 2,000 in Tunisia. During 2001, 92 immigrants arrived from Morocco and 16 arrived from Tunisia. These were primarily young people seeking new opportunities rather than leaving as a result of any crisis situation.

Some Israeli officials, who want to increase the number of immigrants at any price, take advantage of antisemitic incidents and economic crises to initiate "aliya operations" -- or reports of such operations -- in most cases at the expense of Jews from the countries involved. The economic situation in Argentina also led the Jewish Agency and the government to create widespread publicity regarding special benefits for Argentinean immigrants and interest among Jews in the possibility of aliya. Later it became clear that few of the hundreds of thousands of Jews living there wanted to immigrate. Critics pointed out that the publicity might have fostered antisemitism, which did not develop despite the dire economic conditions.

In France as well, Jews have not shown increased interest in aliya despite the antisemitic incidents plaguing the country. Instead they are trying to cope with the situation through internal channels, and the elections last Sunday demonstrated that a majority of the country opposes the Far Right. Reports of campaigns to encourage aliya are liable to provide antisemites with ammunition for anti-Jewish propaganda.

 

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