Jewish-Muslim Relations in Libya · 185Zionist activity did not really penetrate Libya at that period, possibly due
to fear of retribution by the authorities.^37
Following the Young Turk revolution there was at least one local Jew,
in Benghazi, who was involved in Young Turk circles.^38 Other Jews were
ready to participate in evening courses in Turkish organized by Turkish
officers and officials for the local population.^39 This apparently was the
extent of local Jewish involvement in Young Turk activities in Libya. In
contrast to the limited participation of Libyan Jews in the political life
of the Ottoman regime, some Jews who held Italian citizenship demon-
strated more energetic involvement in propaganda in favor of Italian rule
in Libya. These included editors and journalists who following the 1908
revolution founded local periodicals, which were financed by the Italian
consulate general in Tripoli. These periodicals praised the Italian policy
toward Libya and even called for the strengthening of its presence and
influence in the region.^40
During the Italian period, most Jews did not support the Muslim anti-
Italian uprising, although the few who lived in rebel-controlled areas
had no other choice. In general, the community supported the Italian
regime, even when its character changed as the Fascists gained power in
- Still, many Libyan Jews were angry with the Italian regime, which
refrained from providing them with Italian citizenship. Thus there was
no significant Jewish involvement in political life in Libya, though some
Jews were members of the Fascist Party and attended its clubs. Even
when the regime changed its attitude toward the Jews and started to leg-
islate anti-Semitic racial legislation in 1938, the essential Jewish support
for Italy did not change: they presumed that this new policy was forced
upon Italy by Germany, and their belief was strengthened by the fact that
the authorities in Libya had reservations regarding this policy and were
slow to implement it.
The Italian authorities tried to prevent the development in Libya of
competing non-Italian nationalism—especially Libyan nationalism—
mainly by leadership liquidation and regional isolation. Leaders of the
Muslim revolt were killed, imprisoned or in exile and the regime made it
difficult for local Muslims to be in contact with Muslims outside Libya.
As a result, the knowledge and interest of Libyan Muslims regarding
the Arab-Jewish conflict in Palestine were poor and did not have reper-
cussions on Jewish-Muslim relations in Libya. Zionist activity was not
regarded as a threat to the Italian regime, and it developed in Libya as