Jewish-Muslim Relations in Libya · 189to fight on the Arab side in Palestine. The Muslims were called to unite in
the struggle for Allah in order to purify the world from the Jews. It was
also stated there that the Jews had established a government in Palestine
and with the protection of the treacherous authorities of the British Man-
datory regime were active in suppressing the Muslims subject to them.^50
A further deterioration in Arab-Jewish relations in Cyrenaica occurred
in 1948, and the British authorities attributed this to the developments
in Palestine. There were also minor incidents, which the president of
the Benghazi Jewish council defined as discrimination in trade on racial
background and which caused a deterioration of the economic status of
the Jews.^51 These developments increased the Jews’ desire to emigrate to
Israel.
Following the British approval of free emigration from Libya to Israel,
official representatives of the state of Israel and the Jewish Agency came
to Libya in early 1949. They operated in Libya freely without hiding their
identity: their offices bore public signs and the Israeli Independence Day
was celebrated with local Muslim officials in attendance. The Israeli rep-
resentatives met with senior government officials, including ministers. In
late 1951 there were some officials in Israel who hoped that this represen-
tation could remain and operate in Libya after independence and even
become an official representation of the state of Israel. The Israeli immi-
gration officer in Libya felt reinforced in this belief when he referred to
himself as the representative of the state of Israel in his blessings to King
Idris on his birthday and as Idris thanked him using the same term.^52
This event, however, resulted from an oversight and did not reflect an
official Libyan policy toward Israel. Although the Libyans continued to
treat the Israeli and Jewish Agency representatives with respect, and the
latter were even invited to the Libyan Independence Day celebrations,^53
it was made clear to them that once the mass emigration from Libya to
Israel was concluded, their task would also be complete. The emissaries
were not expelled, but the entrance of their replacements was not ap-
proved, and official Israeli presence in Libya ended in late 1952.
Economy
Economic interdependence, based on professional specialization, devel-
oped between the Jewish minority and the Muslim majority in Libya.
Until the departure of the Jews from Libya, they were in charge of most