Jewish-Muslim Relations in Libya · 179economic condition. They tried to deepen their hold among the masses
and draw them to nationalist, Pan-Arab, and anti-Zionist ideology, re-
sulting at times in anti-Jewish attacks.
The first major anti-Jewish riots erupted in Tripoli and its surround-
ings, from Misurata in the east to Zawiyah in the west, on 4 Novem-
ber 1945. This happened during a period of severe economic hardships
coupled with growing nationalist, Pan-Arab, and anti-Zionist incite-
ment.^21 For four days, Arab masses rioted in the streets with no hin-
drance, robbed, burned, and destroyed Jewish homes and businesses,
and harmed many Jews. In many instances the religious affiliation of the
victims was checked, and houses were marked accordingly. Most of the
Arab police did not even try to restrain the masses, and the traditional
Muslim leadership did not condemn the riots when they occurred. In
Kusabat (eastern Tripolitania) many Jews converted to Islam in order to
escape the massacre. Only the delayed intervention of the British army
put an end to the violence.
The riots claimed the lives of 130 Jews. In addition, hundreds of Jews
were injured, some 4,000 became homeless, and property that valued
300 million Military Administration Liras (MAL) was lost. Inhabitants of
mixed towns and neighborhoods were harmed the most: Jews living in
the old quarter of Tripoli managed to block the entrance to the neighbor-
hood, which was almost exclusively Jewish, and its inhabitants were not
harmed. Thus, moving out from exclusive Jewish neighborhoods to mod-
ern and religiously mixed ones, which was considered a sign of progress
and fraternity, became a source of disaster.
Following these events, some 600 Arabs were detained, but less than
half of them stood trial. Charges were brought against 289, 85 were ac-
quitted, 2 received death sentences, the rest were sentenced for 15 years or
less, and 6 received suspended sentences. Four Jews were also convicted
for disorderly behavior and sentenced to three to four years in prison.
British authorities and the traditional leaders of both Jews and Muslims
established a Peace Committee headed by the head of the Jewish com-
munity and the chief Muslim judge of Tripoli. The committee, together
with the local press, called for tranquility. The traditional leaders of the
Muslims and the Jews alike were eager to cooperate as they felt their
own position being threatened by the nationalists on both sides who re-
belled against the authority of the “old guard” and attracted the masses,
especially the youth. The British authorities, too, were denouncing the