in V.S. USSR Pact
' •
Tenth
(Continued from Page 1)
ing on trade and emigration
involved the departure of
60,000 Jews per year from
the Soviet Union and said
that . Israel had been advised
specifically of that figure by
Kissinger during his recent
visit here,
The official made his state-
ment in response to Presi-
dent Ford's assertion that
the Soviet Union has not
pledged to allow a specific
number of Jews and others
to emigrate.
"Whether or not the num-
ber is mentioned in the
agreement itself is not really
important," he stated. "It
is definitely mentioned in a
letter from Sen. Jackson, the
initiator of the agreement,
and Dr. Kissinger.
•
60,000 is the number of Sov- period ends, the President
iet Jews involved annually. will ask Congress for an ex-
The Soviet authorities are tension of that authority and
also aware of this figure," submit a report to Congress
the source said.
on Soviet' emigration prac-
The U.S. CongresS w i 11 tices.
judge Soviet compliance with
Congress will have 60 days
emigration under the agree- to pass the President's re-
ment and will determine the quest. If it is not passed,
continuing flow of U.S. trade then in the next 45 days the
benefits and credits to the House or Senate could veto
Soviet government on the the authorization. After that,
basis of its judgement of ad- annually, either chamber will
ministration reports.
be able to veto continued
"We have a double lock on authorization. If neither does,
compliance," a Congressional the authorization continues
aide said. He said after the automatically.
trade bill with the Jackson- First Effects in 1975;
Mills-Vanik m e a sure be-' Leaders Happy, Skeptical
comes_ law, the President of Soviet Union Compliance
will have the authority to
WASHINGTON (JTA) :—
extend to the Soviet govern- The first effects of the suc-
ment most favored nation cessful negotiation on Soviet
treatment and make it elig- emigration policy probably
"We were given to under- ible for U.S. credits during will not be felt until early
stand by the secretary of the ensuing 18 months.
next year after the Trade Re-
state during his visit that
Thirty days b e f ore that form Act becomes law. But
the Soviet authorities, as a
token of good faith, may lift
their barriers earlier.
Sen. Jackson thought that
the trade bill will be legislat-
ed by Congress in December.
The Senate Finance Commit-
tee, he expects, will present
the measure to the Senate
shortly after it returns Nov.
18 from its election recess.
Meanwhile, American and
Israeli Jewish leaders hailed
the accord, while some ex-
pressed hope mix e d with
skepticism.
Stanley H. Lowell, chair-
man of the National Confer-
ence of Soviet Jewry, and
Rabbi Israel Miller, chair-
man of the Conference of
Presidents of Major Ameri-
can Jewish Organiations, is-
sued a joint statement
expressing appreciation to
Ford, Kissinger, and Sena-
tors Jackson, Javits and Rib-
icoff.
"However, we will not for-
get that the real determina-
tion of the success of this
agreement lies in the Krem-
lin," their statement de-
clared. "We shall watch
closely So v i e t compliance
with the terms of the under-
standing. We will also con-
tinue to press for the rights
of those Jews who desire to
live freely as Jews in the
Soviet Union."
The Greater New York
Conference on Soviet Jews,
while welcoming the agree-
ment warned it "does not
spell an end to problems of
Soviet Jews."
Jewish activists in Moscow
were reported hopeful that
the agreement would allow
them to leave for Israel, but
at the same time they were
56 Friday, October 25, 1974
—
skeptical that the So viet
Union would live up to its
part of the bargain.
Aleksandr Lunts, a mathe-
matician, said he believes
Soviet authorities "will fig-
ure tout some sort of decep-
tion, like the secrecy re-
quirement."
Alksandr Slepak, another
J e wish activist, expressed
concern about whether the
agreement would operate for
Jews serving prison terms
after seeking to emigrate,
and scientists who had been
refused exit visas on grounds
of security. Slepak said it is
important to give Jews who
have been seeking visas for
years permission lave
because other Jews
watching to see wha,
pens to them.
National Ge-ographic Retracts
April Syria Jewry Reference
Inter-Faith Appeal to End
Torment of Syrian Jews
(Continued from Page 1)
that Syrian Jews are being
held hostage in Syria's strug-
gle against Israel. This con-
stitutes a political crime, and
sins against the requirements
of international conventions
and the basic rights of all
men.
"But the crime goes deep-
er. Murder, torture and ter-
rorism are among the instru-
ments employed against' Syr-
ian Jews. Thus their treat-
ment is a crime against hu-
manity.
"It is -apparent that the
Syrian government hopes
that its critics will tire of
their protests and Syrian
Jews will be forgotten. This
must never be allowed to
happen.
"We urge the United Na-
tions, and in particular the
United States government, to
call to account the Syrian
government for its continued
mistreatment of these inno-
cent victitms, and continue
to do so until they are re-
•leased or given relief from
their suffering."
Rabbi Hertzberg, president
of the American Jewish Con-
gress and rabbi of Temple
Emanu-El in Englewood,
N.J., "Vigorous activity in
defense of the human rights
of Syrian Jews must not be
sacrificed out of concern for
the fragility of our newly
won diplomatic standing in
Syria. What good are such
presumed diplomatic tri-
umphs unless they enable us
to pursue our country's in-
terests in defending human
freedom?"
He added, "Good standing
in the Arab world must not
be bought at the price of
Syrian Jewish lives."
The three clergymen were
joined at the news conference
by Gabrielle Tawfik of Mont-
real, the daughter of Albert
Elia,. 70-year-old secretary-
general of the Jewish. com-
munity of Lebanon who was
abducted by Syrian secret
police in 1971 and is believed
to be in a Syrian prison.
"We have a recent, uncon-
t $
NEW YORK (JTA) — For said Azzi had "reported a
the first time in 86 years, good deal of tolerance in
the National Geographic Mag- Syria's treatment of its Jew-
azine—in its November issue ish minority."
out Monday — tells its 9,-
Grosvenor added: "Many of
000,000 readers it "el -red" in our Jewish members Sharply
an earlier article, the Amer- criticized us for not delineat-
ican Jewish Congress re- ing in greater detail the harsh
firmed report that he is still Roberta Gratz toured the girls told her.
conditions under which that
alive and in a political prison Middle East with a group of
Early this year the bodies ported.
In a new column by editor small community has been
in Syria," she said, "although journalists last spring and of four young Jewish women
the Syrian government re- met with a number of Jews were found. They had been Gilbert M. Grosvenor, the forced to exist since 1968.
fuses to confirm that they who had escaped from Syria. murdered, robbed, raped and magazine states that its April We began to wonder if we
article on Damascus "failed had unwittingly failed to re-
are holding him. So far, all
Mrs. Gratz said several mutilated. - _ . .
efforts at intercession with Syrian Jewish girls escaped
Syrian authorities charged to reflect the true situation" flect the true situation. Now,
after months of carefully re-
the Syrians by other govern- "without even telling their four persons including two of Syrian Jews.
The admission of error by viewing the evidence, we
ments have failed, but we. parents they were leaving, Jews—one a brother-in-law of
must continue to try.
because---the-y knew their par- one of the murdered women the National Geographic fol- have concluded that our cri-
"Your government now has ents would be held and inter- —and a secret trial is now lows a six-month protest by tics were right. We erred."
the AJCongress, which charg-
the best chance of obtaining rogated by the Syrian police under way in Syria.
Phil Baum, associate ex-
my father's release and I when their absences were
A few weeks after the bod- ed that the April article ecutive director of the AJCon-
appeal to-President Ford and discovered.
ies of the women were dis- mislead readers into believ- gress, who led a picket line
Secretary Kissinger to do
"Usually, the parents are covered, the bodies of two ing the Syrian government at the National Geographic's
everything in their power for released when the police are young Jewish men were was tolerant of Syrian Jews j W a shin g t on headquar-
him."
convinced they knew nothing found under similar circum- when, in fact, they are per ters early in _June, after the
secuted and harassed„
New York Post reporter of the escape plans," the stances.
editors' initial refusal to print
In his column on page 587, a correction declared, "The
the firSt time the magazine Geographic deserves con=
has provided a forum for mendation for its decision,
reader reaction, Grosvenor ; albeit some months late, to
WASHINGTON (JTA) An interests regard Israel's
Samuel, who served as declares, "Our objective---to-; concede the inadequacies of
international banker predicts struggle fo survive against deputy undersecrtary of state keep current, to remain fac- its original treatment.
that Western industrial na- the influence of the Arab oil for economic affairs in 1969 •tual, to report without_specu
"This was a gross misrep-
tions will put severe pressure producers was voiced by Na- 72, admitted wishful thinking lating — is most challenging resentation and, unless con-
on Israel to give up most if thaniel Samuel, a partner in when it came to ultimate in the field of human society rected, might seriously have
not all of its conquered Arab the New York banking house Western support for Israel's . .. But occasionally, events I damaged efforts to make the
territories but would draw of Kuhn Loeb & Co. and head survival. Nevertheless, he move too fast for us and we world aware of the ongoing
the line if Israel's survival of two other corporations en- felt that the "revulsion" must pay the price. Such Was and urgent danger to the-
as a nation was - at stake.
gaged in international -com- should Israel be destroyed; the case with the Robert safety of Syrian Jews."
That view .of how Western merce.
would be too much for the Azzi article on Damascus in
Baum gave special credit
Western nations to take.
April, 1974, a portion of for the protests leading to the
Samuel says the industrial which described the dwin National Geographic's deci-
nations already are "trying dling Jewish community in sion Jo print a correction to
to persuade" Israel "to give that Arab capital."
j the AJCongress' chapter in
up most if not all of the terri-
Noting the "difficulty of i Washington and to the Jew-
NEW YORK — The offic- Archbishop Jean Jardot tory." He said Israel "has obtaining reliable non-parti- ish Community Relations
ial representative of the Vat- told 50 Jewish leaders at a come pretty far" in that dir- san information," Grosvenor i Council of Kansas City.
ican in the U.S. has called New York meeting of the ection since a year ago "but
for more dialogue between American Jewish Committee not as far as some would
Jews and Catholics, espec- last week that "abortion and like."•
He said the "tremendous
aid to public schools are not
The following restrictions are applied to the 4,500 Syrian
danger" would be when the
strictly Catholic issues."
survival of Israel as a politi- Jews:
He said differences be- cal entity is at stake.
• They must carry a special identity
the
word
"Jew" marked in red ink.
tween the two faiths on the
"If that were the issue,
• They are required to • have special permission - to
issues were because of a lack they (the United States and
of dialogue, not because of Europe) would stand up for travel more than four kilometers from their home'
Israel and the (oil) producer
• In Damascus, Jews have a 10 p.m. curfew .:---
a failure.
countries would have over-
• No new telephones are installed in Jewish homes.
He was introduced at the shot their mark," Samuel
• . Jews are prohibited from employment in government
meeting by Rabbi Marc H. said. He did not "forsee mil-
Tanenbaum, national dir- itary action" by the U.S. if offices, banks or public services.
• At his death, a Jew's property is confiscated by the— ,
ector of the AJCommittee's another Israeli-Arab w a r
state and can be received by his lawful heirs only upon
interreligious affairs depart- broke out.
payment of a "rental" fee to the government.
ment, who said, Jadot's pre-
"How that would involve
• Surveillance against all Jews is constantly caried out
sence was. significant for the
other countries one can't by the Second Bureau (military intelligence).
Jewish community.
tell," he said, adding that
• Religious studies and the teaching of Hebrew have at
The archbishop took over "some of the more far-see- times been forbidden. No Jewish pupils are admitted to
FR. JEAN JADOT
his post in July 1973, and is ing Arabs recognize the dif- Syrian secondary schools. And Jewish primary schools are
ially on the issues of abor- said to be far more open ficulty of pushing Israel too obliged to have Moslem headmasters and Moslem teachers
tion and public aid to private than his predecessors. The far." The European coun- who are forbidden to teach Jewish subjects.
schools.
Belgian priest is the first tries, he observed, are leav-
• In November 1971 nearly all Jewish students were
non-Italian papal envoy to the ing the defense of Israel to expelled from Syrian universities and no new Jewish stu-
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS U.S.
the U.S.
dents have been admitted in more than two years.
-
West Pushes Israel on Territories
-
Archbishop Wants Dialogue
Between Catholics and Jews
-
-
-
Fact Sheet on Syrian Jewry