As reports of further restrictions on and ill-treatment of Jews in Syria and the Soviet Union respectively, reached Israel, the government intensified its efforts to rescue the remaining Syrian Jews and to secure the support of world public opinion for the demand that the Soviet government allow the exit of Jews wishing to leave that country. Text:
Mr. Speaker, Members of the Knesset.
In reply to a motion for the agenda tabled a month ago, on 8 May 1974, I reported in detail to the Knesset on the plight of Syrian Jewry and the activities undertaken on their behalf. I shall not repeat the details again now. In the last few days, a young Jewish man and young woman who have escaped from Syria have told of the persecution and maltreatment to which they were subjected, and which members of their families and Jews still living in Syria still suffer today. The evidence of these two young people complements and confirms once again what we, and indeed the entire world, already know about the humiliating restrictions, the harsh regulations and the brutal oppression which are the lot of the remnants of Syrian Jewry.
As already reported to the Knesset in the past, the government's continuous action in this sphere is well known. It happened that the plight of Syrian Jewry was the first subject dealt with on my first day in my new post.
Members of the Knesset,
We all share in the deep concern for the fate of Syrian Jewry, in particular for the fate of Ezer Zalta and Joseph Chiloah, who, though innocent, have been accused of the murder of four young Jewish women. At this very time they are facing a secret trial, which, according to reports in the international press, has already begun, though no charge sheet had been published, and no neutral observers or representatives of the press are allowed to attend. There are grounds for deep anxiety that a severe sentence may be passed on these two men for a crime they did not commit. This trial is purely and simply a blood libel. There is no doubt that its purpose is to deter the Jews of Syria from struggling for their elementary rights.
Together with the entire Jewish world, we shall continue unabated our vigorous struggle for the defence and rescue of the two accused. At the same time, we are not relaxing our efforts and we continue to insist that all the Jews of Syria be granted the right freely to leave for countries where they will be able to live in safety and peace. We are working unremittingly for the immediate release of the three Jews who have been kept in jail since September 1971 without trial and without any charge levelled against them. We are doing everything possible to bring about an annulment of the restrictions imposed on the Jews of Syria.
At the same time, I would like to take this opportunity once again to express our gratitude to all the international authorities, governments and statesmen, public bodies, organizations, leading figures in politics, religion and intellectual life throughout the civilized world, who have joined in the struggle and are devoting their energies and strength to the noble humanitarian cause of rescuing Syrian Jewry. There are grounds for the hope that, just as in the recent past we saw that their activities bore fruit, with the release from prison of hundreds of Jews in Egypt and Iraq, and with thousands of Jews. being enabled to leave those countries - we shall also witness positive results with regard to the Jews of Syria, who are struggling, with great courage, for their Jewishness, their freedom and their right to live in safety and self-respect.
To our brethren in Syria, we again send words of encouragement and hope. Be strong and of good courage.
Mr. Speaker,
The Knesset is also aware how alert and active the government has been over the issue of Soviet Jewry. We have seen to it that current reports are presented regularly to the Knesset Defence and Foreign Affairs Committee on every development and change on this issue, and we shall continue to do so in the future.
Since January of this year, the Soviet authorities have begun to curtail the number of exit visas given to Jews seeking to emigrate to Israel. In the first five months of 1974 only some 9,000 Jews were granted exit visas, against 12,767 exit visas in the corresponding period of last year.
There is no truth in the Soviet allegation that the number of Jews seeking to leave for Israel has dropped. We know of 140,000 Jews who have invitations to come to Israel from relatives in this country. These documents are valid. The reduction, therefore, is not due to any lack of candidates for emigration but to a deliberately hostile policy and bureaucratic manipulations by the Soviet authorities.
Similarly, the contention of the Soviet authorities that the Jews display no interest in emigration for Israel is also false. In fact, in September and October, there was some decline in the submission of applications for emigration. But in November the number of applications again increased and that trend has continued ever since.
The problem of the rejection of applications by Russian Jews to emigrate to Israel is growing increasingly serious. We do not know the exact number of applications rejected, since it is possible that we do not know of all the cases. However, from the information at hand, we may conclude that the number of refusals has increased in recent months. Generally, the reasons given are not reasonable.
There are some Jews who have been waiting three years and more for permission to leave for Israel - but in vain. The situation of those whose applications are turned down is particularly painful - they are denied the possibility of making a livelihood and their position in the society around them is intolerable.
A number of "illegal immigrants" have recently been sentenced to prison, while others are now being tried. The Soviet authorities are inventing criminal charges in order to bring these persons to trial. A shocking illustration of this is the case of Alexander Feldman of Kiev, who was sentenced to three and a half years of imprisonment with hard labour for alleged hooliganism, following gross police provocation. Perhaps the Soviet authorities are under the impression that the application of irrelevant sections of the law might enable them to conceal the fact that the only crime Feldman and others are in fact guilty of is their desire to live in Israel. If this is their impression - they are gravely mistaken.
Lately, the Soviet authorities have also begun to cut off mail and telephone facilities of Jews active for immigration. Furthermore, they are called up to the army for no reason, while others are under surveillance by the Soviet Secret Service. All this is being done to tie the hands of our brethren in the Soviet Union and to crush their desire to immigrate to Israel.
Members of the Knesset,
Israel views the plight of Soviet and Syrian Jews with the utmost gravity. Israel will continue in its struggle to change this situation. The courageous struggle of these Jews lends added significance to the activity and solidarity of all those throughout the world who seek freedom and justice. The fact that, in the seventies, Jews are victims of maltreatment and cruel oppression, arouses more pain and indignation than anything else. We have taken, are taking and will continue to take action by all possible means against this shameful phenomenon.
The State of Israel and the Jewish people in the diaspora consider it their supreme mission to support every Jew oppressed anywhere. The Knesset may rest assured that this struggle will continue until the last of the "Prisoners of Zion" in the Soviet Union is set free, and the gates are opened for Jews wishing to emigrate, from Syria and the Soviet Union alike.
I propose that the subject be placed on the agenda of the Knesset's Defence and Foreign Affairs Committee.