Europe is not the only place where there is a current
struggle to return Jewish property to its rightful owners.
Many Jews originating from Arab countries, notably from
Morocco, Iraq, and Egypt, have long been asking that their
demands for the return of property that they were forced to
leave be raised during the peace talks.
Some Arab countries are trying to make counter-demands.
In a discussion held in Amman with a reporter from the Arab
newspaper, The Middle East, the chairman of the
Moroccan parliament, Al-Radi, said: "The Arab countries must
demand compensation for the human resources lost as a result
of the emigration of hundreds of thousands of Jews to
Israel." He then added, "The Jews who emigrated from Arab
lands to Israel are human capital. They were born and
educated in their native lands and could have contributed to
their countries had they not left. As a result, the Arab
countries have a full right to demand monetary compensation
from Israel because of this loss."
The Chairman of the Moroccan Parliament hinted to former
Moroccans now living in Israel that they may return to
Morocco whenever they wish. He stressed that Moroccan law
does not revoke the citizenship of one who emigrates from
Morocco, and that Morocco's laws are progressive as well as
tolerant.
Former minister, Mordechai Ben Porat, said in response, "The
claim of the Chairman of the Moroccan Parliament is
audacious. His sole purpose is to avoid the return of the
remaining property of the Jews who once lived in his country,
or property which was nationalized." He added that Jewish
property remaining in Morocco is worth billions of dollars.
Ben Porat noted that the spokesman neglected to mention the
tremendous suffering of the Jews in Arab lands, including
imprisonment, hangings and daily discrimination, as well as
the Jewish contribution to the development of the country's
natural resources. He said that eventually it will be
necessary to found an international fund for mutual
indemnities of the refugees.
