44111111.111WMINNOOMPONNIMINIV

THE DETROIT JEWISHNEWS

Situation Is Deteriorating for Syrian Jewry

(Continued from Page 1)
to have red markings on
their papers and the police
have occasionally refused to
issue new documents on the
excuse that the change will
be made when the present
document, such as a driver's
license, expires. Recently
the authorities have issued
documents with Musawi
again in distinctive colors.
Jews also still face dif-
ficulties in disposing of
property and are usually
only permitted to sell a
house or car if they prove
the money is being used to
purchase a replacement.
The special government
committee on Jewish af-
fairs, which was supposed to
have been abolished in
1977, also continues to
exist.
A few months ago Syria
reintroduced the require-
ment that Jews travelling
from , one city to
another must notify the
Muhabarat. Unlike the
past, when internal-travel
always required written
permission, now' it has
sometimes been sufficient
to provide oral notification
to the Muhabarat. But after
one large family escaped re-
cently, the requirement was
added that Jews must also
notify the Muhabarat upon
their arrival in whichever
city they are 'permitted to
visit.
- The property of any fam-
ily who leaves is seques-
tered by the government.
One family left property
valued at more than three
million Syrian pounds (ab-
out $1 million), a clear tes-
timony to the lack of free-
dom felt in Syria even by
well-to-do Jews.

As already noted, the
Syrian government con-
tinues to bar Jewish
emigration. It looks with
disfavor on non-Jewish
emigration as well, for
brain drain and other
reasons, 'but non-Jewish
Syrians are increasingl3r
able to travel abroad re-
latively freely and even to
emigrate. The number of
students coming to the
U.S. for university
studies has gone up from
about 30 in 1975 to over
400 this year.
Some Syrian Jews have
also been permitted to
travel abroad, but with the
exception of one outstand-
ing young doctor, who, after
persistent interventions,
was finally permitted to
come to the U.S. for ad-.
vanced training, Syrian
Jews are usually permitted
out only for brief visits for
business, medical or per-
sonal reasons. Even in these
cases, other members of the
family must remain behind
and a security bond, usually
sizable, must be deposited
with the authorities. Mem-
bers of Syria's Jewish com-
munity who are too poor to
raise the 25,000 pounds' de-
posit are thus prevented
from even briefly seeing re-
latives abroad from whom
they have been cut off for
many years.
In December, on the occa-
sion of the 30th anniversary
of the adoption by the Un-
ited Nations of the Univer-
sal Declaration of Human
Rights, Alain Poher, Presi-
dent of the French Senate,
once again appealed to UN
Secretary-General Kurt
Waldheim to intervene on
behalf of the human rights

Dutch Blast Poisoned Fruit
Threat of Arab Terrorists

AMSTERDAM (JTA) — cials in Belgium, De-
The Dutch government nmark, Sweden and West
condemned a threat from an Germany. A copy of the
"Arab - Revolutionary letter received at The
Army" (ARA) to poison cit- Hague indicated it was
rus fruits shipped to Hol- sent to all nine members
land from Israel, calling it of the European
"a direct threat" to the Economic Community,
and to Romania and
health of the nation.
The threat, contained in a Yugoslavia.
After ARA sent a similar
letter, said the "campaign"
would be carried out on a letter last year, threatening
much larger scale than such to use mercury, a number of
contamination of Israeli cit- oranges coming to Europe
rus exports last year when were found to have been in-
some shipments of oranges jecte,d with mercury. Six
were contaminated with children, five Dutch and one
mercury. The ARA letter West German, became'
said this time poison would slightly ill after eating the
be used which would make contaminated fruit. Two
it more difficult to detect million boxes of Israeli
''Lhan mercury.
oranges and grapefruit ar-
The Israel Embassy at rive in Rotterdam each sea-
The Hague said Israel had son.
The Dutch Ministries of
taken "all appropriate mea-
sures" to nullify all at- Foreign Affairs, Justice, In-
tempts to poison Israeli terior, Agriculture and Na-
fruits and vegetables ex- tional Health have coordi-
ported to Europe. An - Em- nated programs to deter-
bassy spokesman indicated mine how the channels of
that such letters had been distribution of the Israeli
'mailed to several European fruit can best be protected.
governments, saying Israeli Regional food inspectors
produce would be poisoned and Dutch citizens have
unless a "democratic state" been asked to be very alert
was established in "Pales: on the problem.
tine."
Sharp wounds cleanse
The letters, mailed in
London, were received away evil; so do stripes that
also by government offi- reach the inward parts. , 4

3

of the Syrian Jewish com-
munity. Writing in his
capacity as chpirman of the
International Conference
for the Deliverance of Jews
in the Middle East, Poher
noted that Syria's treat-
. ment of the Jewish com-
munity was in flagrant and
systematic violation of the
International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights of
1966 to which Syria.
adhered on April 21, 1969.
Poher stressed that the

restrictions on travel and
the ban on emigration were
clear violations of Syria's
obligations under parag-
raph 12 of the Universal
Declaration. He asked Sec-
retary Waldheim to inter-
vene directly with the Sy-
rian authorities to permit
the departure of all Jews
who wish to leave the coun-
try and especially to enable
them to be' reunited with
members of their family ab-
road. •

Friday, February 2, 1919 7

BLOWING FUSES?
SHORT CIRCUITED?

Call

DR. ELECTRIC

No Job Too Small or Large
Repairs, Violations Corrected

754-7131

Record Deposit & Earnings
Growth Recorded by
Liberty State Bank & Trust
in 1978

ASSETS

Record Deposit Growth

Deposits increased $22,219,557, or
17 percent from the 197731evel of
$131,000,722 to '153,220,279
in 1978.

Record Earnings Growth

Pre-tax income rose 5644,171, or 44.8
percent from the 1977 level of
'1,437,148 to 52,081,319 in 1978.
Net income rose 5476,311, or 36.7
percent from the 1977 level of
5 1,297,008 to 5 1,773,319 in 1978.

Best Financial Condition Ever

Founded in 1918, Liberty State
Bank & Trust was one of the few
banks to survive the great
depression. Today, it ranks
in the top 7% of all American banks
in asset size.
,Liberty State Bank & Trust has grown
and will continue to grow to serve
the expanding needs of its
customers.

Member F.D.I.C., FRS.

CLINTON TOWNSHIP

HAMTRAMCK

16673 E. 15 Mile Road
792-1470

REDFORD TOWNSHIP

9301 Joseph Campau
871.9400

25719 Grand River Ave.
538.4405

STERLING HEIGHTS

44500 Van Dyke
739-0300

WATERFORD TOWNSHIP WEST BLOOMFIELD

4396 Highland Road
681-4830

6705 Orchard Lake Road
626-3970