Thirty-seven Jews were massacred last night in the French Moroccan town of Djerada following the death of five other persons in an Arab-Jewish riot in the city of Oujda, the. French Press Agency reported here today.
The pogrom in Djerada followed receipt of news of the fighting in Oujda. A mob of Arabs surrounded some 70 Jew who were in the town’s streets and stoned them. The Arabs followed up this attack with the use of knives and clubs. Among the 37 dead were ten children. The majority of the dead and some 25 who were seriously wounded were shopkeepers. Over 150 shops were looted by the Arabs.
In Oujda the rioting broke out after an argument between a Jew and an Arab over the situation in Palestine. Before the fighting was over two hours later there were five dead and many wounded. In Oujda the rioting was not confined to one area, but spread to various quarters. Both French police and Senegalese troops in tanks were used to quell the battles.
French Foreign Minister Georges Bidault today officially received Israeli President Chaim Weizmann. The Foreign Office has not made any statement as to the subject of their talk. Despite the fact that the French Government has not yet recognized Israel, Dr, Weizmann was announced to Bidault as “the President of the state of Israel.”
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