- Title: ISRAEL: Jews of Libyan origin concerned about Libya's future
- Date: 23rd August 2011
- Summary: SLATE INFORMATION
- Embargoed: 7th September 2011 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Israel, Israel
- Country: Israel
- Topics: International Relations,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA3AHKHAU2320KRC70C6G73GM2E
- Story Text: David Arviv's family was part of a small Jewish community in Libya, some of whom were forced to leave the country after post-World War Two Jewish pogroms.
Now, Arviv says, he hopes for an opportunity to visit his hometown Tripoli.
In a restaurant located on a cobblestone alleyway in Jaffa's trendy flea market, the smells of Tripolitan food cooking on burners filled the air.
In 'Fergi' restaurant, which was founded in the 1950's by his father, David says he fulfils a yearning for the familiar smells from his home in Tripoli before his family was forced to escape to Israel when he was 11 years old.
Libyan rebel fighters poured into Tripoli on Monday (August 22) morning and managed to control most of the capital but the whereabouts of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi were unknown. The rebels held two of his sons, Saif Al-Islam and Mohammed.
Asked about the nearing end of Gaddafi's rule and his sons' fate, Arviv said he had no feeling towards them.
"I know they were mean people who did a lot of bad things and they deserve it," he said.
The Jewish community in the former Italian colony, which traces its origins to Roman times, numbered about 38,000 at the end of World War Two. But it declined steadily after anti-Jewish pogroms in 1945 and 1948.
By the time Israel won the Middle East War against Arab nations in 1967, the community had dwindled to about 7,000.
Following Israel's victory, anti-Jewish riots broke out and nearly all Libyan Jews were evacuated to Italy for safety.
After he came to power in 1969, the vehemently anti-Israel Gaddafi confiscated all Jewish property and cancelled all debts to Jews. The Jewish community in Libya is now virtually non-existent.
Arviv said he hoped that the future rulers of Libya will allow Jews of Libyan origin to visit their childhood neighbourhoods.
"I hope it will be better now and that we will have relations with them and that we will be able to visit, that we Tripolitans will be able to visit Libya and see the neighbourhood in which we grew up in. I hope it will create a new road," Arviv said.
But in the Libyan Jews Heritage Centre in the Israeli town of Or Yehuda, curator Avi Pedatzur was pessimistic.
"The revolution leaders took the main square in, the 'Green Square', and turned it within an hour into 'Jihad Square'. Jihad and its meaning are well known to Jews. I don't think that democracy will immediately emerge in Libya," Pedatzur said as he stood amid exhibits, maps and old documents featuring the history of Libyan Jews.
Gaddafi has not been seen in public since mid-June. His foes speculate he may not be in the Libyan capital or even in the country. As rebel fortunes have risen, his long televised speeches at boisterous public meetings have given way to scratchy telephone appeals from unknown hideouts.
Over his 41-year-rule, Gaddafi created a personality cult, with his image festooned in banners and posters all over Libya and his philosophy spelled out in a 'Green Book'. He presented himself as a father of the nation and, on the international stage, a warrior against colonialism and a campaigner first for pan-Arab and then pan-African interests. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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