Syria Accused of Violating Genocide
Convention in Treatment of Its Jews
WASHINGTON — An appeal to
the United Nations to intercede
for the remnant community of
4.000 Syrian Jews "before it is con-
sumed" by the harassments of the
Syrian regime was made by the
Bnai Brith International Council
at its annual meeting here.
The council, comprised of repre-
sentatives of Bnai Brith districts
en six continents, accused Syria
of "plain violation" of the UN's
Genocide Convention, citing sec-
tions of that international treaty
which outlaws efforts to impose
"serious bodily or mental harm"
on an ethnic • racial or religious
group.
Syria is one of 75 signatories to
the Genocide Convention.
Maurice A. Weinstein
Char-
lotte, N.C.. retiring ch•rnkin of
the council, said that the "Dftmas-
cus regime's efforts to reduce Jews
to a state of total economic help-
lessness," together with its imposi-
tion of curfews, the use of special
identity cards, police interrogations
and other anti-Jewish measures.
were "brutal demonstrations" of
Syrian violations of the convention.
(The council elected Dr. William
A. Wexler of Savannah, Ga., a past
international president of Bnai
Brith, to succeed Weinstein as
chairman.)
Weinstein said that Syrian Jews
"are being held in virtual captivi-
ty." United Nations action "is ur-
gent" he declared.
In a letter to the New York
Times, Rabbi Joseph Harari of the
Committee for Rescue of Syrian
Jewry wrote:
"The Syrian Jewish congrega-
tions of the U.S. with a total mem-
bership of over 25,000 people are
deeply concerned about the plight
of their families, relatives and
friends in Damascus, Aleppo and
Qamishli in Syria."
"The 4,000 Jews in Syria are
being subjected to various forms
of harassment, discrimination and
restriction. Even within Syria, they
are forbidden to move beyond a
radius of three miles of their place
of residence without special per-
mit. All their identity cards are
marked in red ink on both sides
with large letters "Jewish." Jews
are under close surveillance by the
secret police and often interrogated
and their homes are searched. Let-
ters are always censored. Jews
are denied bank credit or collec-
lion of debts and may not sell or
dispose of their property. The
Syrian authorities have done noth-
ing to curb vandalism of Jewish
homes. Jewish cemeteries have
been confiscated. Jews live in con-
stant fear and are prevented from
emigrating.
"These discriminatory policies
are in clear violation of the Uni-
versal Declaration of Human
Rights and contrary to the Syrian
Government's 1967 assurances to
l'N representative Nils Gussing,
on the treatment of freedom of
movement of the Jewish minority.
"The international community
has a solemn duty to alleviate the
plight of these unfortunate victims
and to spare them additional suf-
ferings."
rp,
Grand Rapids
News Notes
Four Israeli comedians and
singers, 'The Ayalons,' will appear
8 p.m. Sunday at Cong. Ahavas
Israel. This is the last show of the
"Spectrum 72" season presented
by the Jewish Cultural Society of
Grand Rapids.
• • •
A scholarship fund for Arya
Leon Weoman. 31, an art teacher
who died March 22 in Arad, Israel.
is being established by the Grand
Rapids chapter of Hadassah. Mr.
Wepman taught at the Arad Insti-
tute for the past three years. He
was graduated from Grand Rapids
Ottawa Hills High School, Cran-
brook Academy and received a
masters deeree from the Univer-
sity of Michigan.
• • •
Abraham I. Altman. 67, founder
and operator for 25 years of
Leonard Department Stores in
Grand Rapids, died April 8 in
Miami Beach where he made his
home the past few years. Mr. Alt-
man was a member of Cong.
Ahavas Israel, Bnai Brith and the
Zionist Organization. He leaves his
wife, Sophie: three daughters and
..ajae.a.indchildren.
Rains Aid What Crop
TEL AVIV (JT
— Israel's
wheat crop is exp.
I to reach a
record 270.000 tons this year, more
than 80 per cent of the country's
annual wheat consumption. The
reason is the correct distribution
of rains over the course of the
growing season.
.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
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