Women's League

The Jewish cemetery in the city of Derna in eastern Libya was completely destroyed following work to build a small power plant that began there about a year ago.

Scores of graves believed to have once been at the site were destroyed over the last couple of weeks, said Pedhazur Benattia, chairman of the Or Shalom, Israeli center for the preservation of Libyan Jewish heritage, in Bat Yam.

According to him, he is attempting, through Israeli and Libyan government officials, to see what can be done regarding the issue, in light of the footage showing the cemetery being destroyed.

In recent years, Benattia has been working through his connections to ensure the preservation of the cemetery in Derna. He stated that efforts have been made to preserve other Jewish cemeteries across Libya in coordination with local authorities, but these are only a few cemeteries, as most of the Jewish cemeteries in Libya no longer exist.

No Jews live in Libya today, with the last resident leaving in 2003, ending a community that existed for more than two millennia.