Pedazur Benattia, the founder of the Or Shalom Jewish Libyan Cultural Centre in Bat Yam, told the Jewish Telegraph this week: “The fall of Gaddafi is bad for us.”

“Libya will be taken over by a radical Islam — and we all know what can happen then.”

And Mr Benattia, 50, claimed that most Libyans hate Jews.

He added: “Only a few Libyan Muslims, especially the Berbers, remember us well.

“When I visit Libyan websites and tell them I am Jewish and Israeli, they have a never-ending mantra against the ‘Zionists’.

“The Libyan Jewish community had no feelings towards Gaddafi.

“In fact, the relationship between Israel and Libya wasn’t war-like as with Syria or the Palestinians. Only a few Jewish people remained in Libya after Gaddafi took over.”

Mr Benattia’s parents, who were born in Al-Khums, east of Tripoli, left Libya as youngsters and moved to Israel where he was born and brought up.

He explained: “As part of my duty, I know a lot about Jewish life in Libya.”

Mr Benattia established Or Shalom after the death of his father 17 years ago.

It hit the headlines last year when an Israeli-Belgian photographer they sent to document the crumbling synagogues in Libya was arrested and held in prison for months.

Mr Benattia’s organisation publishes a newsletter for Libyan Jews and arranges events and activities.

And he told the Jewish Telegraph that he would be happy to go to visit his roots in Libya.

Mr Benattia said: “I have a dream of walking with my parents among the narrow streets of Al-Khums, visiting the grave of my grandfather, Rabbi Shalom Tayar and all the buildings where the Jews used to live.”