Libyan ruler Muammar Qaddafi has succeeded in reaching a deal with the Italian government according to which Italy will compensate Libya for damages caused during the colonial period during the World War II era. Italy will pay Libya approximately 5 billion dollars over a period of 20 years.
Following this agreement the World Organization of Libyan Jews decided that if Libyan Arabs deserve compensation, so do Libyan Jews. The organization sent a letter to the Italian president asking him to take the large Jewish community that lived in Libya during the time of Italian rule into account as well.
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Meir Kachlon, Chairman of the World Organization of Libyan Jews told INNTV’s Teneh Samuel, "In the colonial period, the Italians cooperated with the Germans and so Libyan Jews suffered even more than the Arabs in every aspect, including pogroms and 
The Italians cooperated with the Germans, and so, the Libyan Jews suffered even more then the Arabs 
restrictions. In that time many Jewish girls were kidnapped and forced to convert to Islam, and all this happened especially in the time the Italians ruled there."
Yosef Maimon, a signatory on the letter to the Italian President, explained, "More than 620 Libyan Jews were killed in the various camps in those days. Many were taken to Italy and died on the way to Bergen Belsen."
"We think that the Italian government and Qaddafi owe us for the suffering and loss of property and lives,” stated Kachlon. “We strongly demand, this whether by ourselves or with the help of international authorities."
The organization also called on Qaddafi to establish ties with the State of Israel. "Due to the fact that we are expatriates, speak the language and are even still connected with people in Libya, we offer Qaddafi the establishment of a group that will try to bring Libya closer to Israel. Libya presents itself as peace-seeking. They claim that they left terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. We say to Qaddafi: 'If that’s true, let’s see you work on connections with Israel, we will help you normalize relations.'"