September 22, 1948 Jewish Refugees from Arab Countries

Part of the Jewish quarter of Cairo was demolished as a result of a heavy explosion.  Jewish homes and shops were looted by Arabs following the explosion.  Nineteen Jews were killed and 62 injured.

Source: The Arab Refugee Problem, How it Can Be Solved.  Proposals—submitted to the General Assembly of the United Nations, December, 1951

Hanging of an Iraqi Jew:

“We publish hereunder the details of the execution of Ades, the Zionist dirty criminal. The details have been sent to us by Mr. Sayed Ahmed el Saleh, our special correspondent:

‘Early in the morning of Wednesday huge masses of people streamed to the great square near El Saoudiah, in El Ashshar, just near the palace which belongs to the criminal and which was intended by him to be the future consulate of the imaginary state of Israel and which he had built on the pattern of a military fortress, the sketches of which were made in Tel Aviv.

‘Later in the day a committee made up of the Basra criminal court judge and some members of the military court went to the prison and informed the criminal of the Royal Iradah [Moslem decree] approving his execution. Then the criminal was asked whether he had any questions or any will to write, but he said nothing, except his reiteration of ‘I am innocent.’ Then he started to restate some statements which had already appeared in his defense. This lasted for two hours. Then his wife and children were brought to him. His wife said, “I advise you not to buy the military scraps and you did not listen to me. This has been the end.’

‘Then the Rabbi was brought in to perform the religious ceremony. At that time the whole city of Basra was up early, awaiting the hour of execution. People from all the provinces in the vicinity came in. Then at four thirty-five on Thursday morning the condemned was brought into the square in a prison vehicle guarded by two armored cars. He was asked if he wanted anything and he said he wanted water, which was brought to him. Then came the committee which supervised the execution. It was comprised of Judge Ibrahim el Akeel and Jawad el Mawla [both were members of the military court], Dr. Jehad Heddoo, and the chief of the Basra prison.

‘Then the criminal was taken up to he gallows. Throughout all this time he pretended he was unafraid, but when he was up there he lost his balance and fell down under the weight of his most despicable crime. Then he was helped up to his feet and the rope was fixed around his neck, and when the time was 4:40 A.M. the execution was completed and his dirty body hanged in the air amidst the victorious cheers of the crowds who cried, ‘Long live His Majesty, the King,’ and ‘Long live His Royal Highness, the Regent,’ and ‘Long live justiceand its guardians,’ and ‘Long live the Iraqi Army,’ and Long live the Arab people.’

AT five o’clock the doctor examined his body and testified that his devilish soul had parted his defiled body. This is the end of all those who betray their country. Then came the commander in chief of the third region accompanied by the Mustasarriff to see the end of this criminal.

‘The body remained hanging for two hours, during which time a great number of photographs were taken. Many of our refugee brethren [Palestinian Arabs] were present at the execution of the man who had participated in making them homeless. What has attracted attention throughout is that not a single Jew was among the spectators. The number of those present is estimated at more than fifteen thousand people.”

Source: Eternal Stranger By Lawrence Resner, Country Life Press, NY, 1951