ADA N29 - Page 3/8

The visit of the Kadi and the Mufti to the Jewish Quarter, accompanied by the Chief Rabbi and the President of the Community, Mr. Lilo Arbib, was met with shouts of contempt on the part of the Jewish residents. Immediately following this visit, a report was forwarded to Colonel Oulton, the officer in charge of civilian affairs, informing him of what had occurred.

The political situation in the country, despite the Manifesto published in the local papers, was extremely uncertain. Economic activity was at a total standstill. A large number of the Jewish families remained in the Porta Benito Camp and in the synagogues of the "Hara" Quarter. All the shops in the City were closed. The government and municipal authorities tried setting up meetings with the Jewish Community leaders on two separate occasions, in an attempt to intervene in some way and find a solution to the local standstill. However, the Jewish Community leaders felt impotent in the face of the people, especially with regard to the youth, who would not hear of any intervention and wanted only to leave the country for Israel. The situation was eventually cleared up by a miracle, through intervention from without.

Just at that same time, an American aircraft carrier, USS Kearsarge, was docked in the Port of Tripoli. The presence of the American aircraft carrier gave the Local Magistrate an idea about how to solve the conflict. Several officers in the British Intelligence Service and the PIO, Public Information Office, suggested organizing a peace conference on the deck of the carrier. Using the "conclave" method, the participants, Arabs and Jews, were to remain on the ship until they finally reached a peace settlement. The local authorities wholeheartedly accepted the idea, and the Local Magistrate volunteered to organize the meeting, setting the date for July 25, 1948.

The Local Magistrate's personal emissary, Ibrahim, was sent to summon the participants, who were to be driven in motor boats to the air-carrier, which due to its proportions, was docked in the open sea. Since the curfew was still in effect, each one of the participants was to be escorted privately.

The invitees on the Jewish side were Lilo Arbib, the President of the Jewish Community; Rabbi Shlomo Iluz, the Chief Rabbi; Z'keinu Arbib, the previous head of the Jewish Community; Rafael Nimni, the legal council; and Shalom Nahum, the Vice President of the Community. The invitees on the Arab side were: the Mufti of Libya, Sheikh Abulasad el Alam; Sheikh Ab'durazak el Bishti, President of the Court; Ali bi Karamneli, Prince of Tripoli; Tahar B'Kir, Legal Council to the Municipality of Tripoli; Att. Ali Regiv, President of the United Party with Egypt; Att. Hiri bi G'dara, President of the "Ahaliya" Court; and Hadi el Mesilati, the President of the Committee for the Liberation of Libya. Representatives of the press included Mustafa Sirag of the "Trablis el Grab" and the communications officer-translator, Suliman Ibrahim. Government representatives included R. G. Young. Major Greatorex, and Captain McDearden of the PIO Office. In addition, several officers from the air-carrier were present, acting as hosts. Also present was the photographer of the Public Information Office. The meeting took place in the main hall of the ship, which was prepared with tables arranged in semicircles and with refreshments.

Major Greatorex prepared a proclamation in Italian and in Arabic and offered greetings from the Head of the British Magistrate's Office, General Blackley, as well as his apologies for not being able to attend this important event. Major Greatorex continued with his address, stressing the significance of the meeting, and indicating that both sides were to arrive at a peace agreement to which the Arabs and Jews of Libya would be committed for many years. He completed his address by restating that the meeting would be concluded only with the complete agreement of both sides, comparing the ceremony to the Papal Selection Ceremony at the Vatican, where the meeting is officially over only when "white smoke" arises from among the Cardinals.

The President of the Jewish Community, Mr. Arbib, suggested an agenda for the meeting so that the issues could be discussed efficiently.

The participants were seated in a semicircle, as follows: on the right were Z'kenu Arbib, Shalom Nahum and Rafael Nimni, along with the Judge Ab'durazak el Bishti. In the center was Rabbi Iluz, the Mufti, and Prince Ali bi Karamneli. On the left were Mr. Arbib; Att. Ali Regiv, President of the United Party with Egypt; and Att. Hiri bi G'dara, President of the "Ahaliya" Court, which for many years was banished from Libya.