The Babbler - The Newsletter of Midrash BEN ISH HAI (Page 4)
 

Life must go on. In the aftermath of the Farhud, 3 boys of Iraqi origin,  swing on a gate in Poona, near Bombay  in India. L-R, Edmond Khedhouri, Zaki Ades (son of Shafiq Ades who was hanged in Basra on a trumped up charge), and Edward Ani (son of Reubein and Georgette Ani).
 
 
 		 At 5 p.m., curfew was declared and anyone who showed himself in the streets was shot on the spot.
Reports vary—official Iraqi reports mention 187 killed, others say as many as one thousand, but it seems likely that about 400 innocents were killed with numerous wounded.
It would be inappropriate, however, not to mention some humanitarian acts carried out by some Iraqis.
1) Many Moslems opened their homes and fed and protected the Jews. It had been reported that some Moslems apologized for not being able to provide Kasher meat and/or poultry to their guests.
2) Looters in Basrah on May 1941, were stopped by a distinguished Moslem notable, Salih Bashayan, who appointed guards from his own men to protect Jewish property.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 		 3) On June 1, 1941 pressed by the mob to oust the injured Jews from the hospital where they were treated, Jamil Dallali, the director, called the police who dispersed the hostile crowd.

4) On June 1, 1941 Dr. Saib Showkat, Dean of the Baghdad Medical College, chief of surgery and administrator of Baghdad Central Hospital entered the surgery ward and scrubbed his hands getting ready to operate. Doctors and nurses standing idly by, had no option but to follow his example. In a few hours, all patients (mostly Jews) were attended to and moved into clean beds.
 

Answering a question posed concerning the Farhud. Mr. Eliyahou Shamash and Mr. Sami Qattan 
 		 When Jewish nurses reported threats of rape by Iraqi wounded officers being treated at the hospital, Dr. Showkat sent the officers to their beds and warned on the megaphone that anyone disobeying his order would be shot by him with two guns in his belt. There was no argument—everyone obeyed. 

On June 2nd, Jewish patients were transferred to Mir Elias hospital where Jewish doctors acknowledged that the treatment provided had been highly professional.

Mr. Hayim Samra spoke of personal experiences in Basra during the Farhud.		 But many questions will remain, including why the British, who were on the outskirts of the city and were in a position to stop the massacre, stood by and did nothing.
Some papers which might shed some light on the matter are to be kept closed by the British till 2017.
 
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