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Damascus affair
1840 antisemitic accusation / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Damascus affair of 1840 refers to the disappearance, February of that year, of an Italian monk and his servant. A large number of Jews were summarily tortured until they "confessed" to murder. An instance of medieval antisemitism and a blood libel, news of the case spread, across the Middle East, to Europe, and the Western world.[1]
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The Christians were supported in their accusation by the French consul at Damascus, Ulysse de Ratti-Menton, a person described by historians as antisemitic and known to favour Christian merchants and advisers over their Jewish counterparts. Ratti-Menton ordered that an investigation be carried out in the Jewish quarter where both men had last been seen and encouraged the Egyptian governor of Damascus to act upon the matter, which resulted in the accused being imprisoned and interrogated under torture after which they confessed to the murder.
Antisemitism increased, with Muslims and Christians alike becoming violent, and attacking innocent Jewish people. This drew international attention, and European Jewry were horrified. Sir Moses Montefiore of Great Britain and Adolphe Crémieux of France were publicly outraged. In contrition, Muhammad Ali of Egypt released the remaining prisoners, but refused to acquit them. It was not until November 1840, after Egyptian withdrawal and the restoration of Ottoman Syria, that Sultan Abdulmejid I decreed all charges should be lifted.[2][3]