Qathafi vows to compensate Libyan Jews

The Libyan Leader Muammar al-Qathafi proposed to pay compensations for the Jews who left their houses because of the Arab- Israeli conflict. Thereby al-Qathafi is the first Arab leader to take such a step.

In a speech he delivered on Tuesday evening in Sert on the occasion of celebrating the 35th al-Fateh revolution anniversary which he had led -- al-Qathafi set a precondition that such a Jew who asks for the compensation ( or to return back his house ) did not confiscate a house owned by a Palestinian.

No fixed figures are available on the number of Jews who had left Libya or estimates on the size of the compensations that might have received.

Worthy mentioning that thousands of Jews left their houses in several Arab countries including Libya following the successive Arab - Israeli wars since 1948, but the Arab leaders rejected or ignored demands by the Jews to get compensations for their properties they had lost.

On the other hand, al-Qathafi called on the Libyans, in his speech to consolidate Libya's new image as a peace-loving country seeking to cooperate with the world. He called on them to welcome foreigners who desire to invest in Libya and "offer them social, economic and financial guarantees" in this context.