Five of the most famous Soviet Jewish Prisoners of Conscience arrived in Israel this evening to a joyous, emotional welcome at Ben Gurion Airport by the nation’s leaders, members of their families and hundreds of well-wishers. Premier Menachem Begin greeted each of them. “Blessed be you, welcome to you, in the name of the Lord,” he said. “We waited for this day more than eight-and-a-half years. The day was delayed longer than we hoped. But it has arrived and, thanks to God, we find you in good health,” he said. He also conveyed greetings from President Carter.
The five, who landed in an EI AI plane from Vienna are Anatoly Altman, 36, Vulf Zalmanson, 39; Boris Penson, 33, Hillel Butman, 45, and Leib Khnokh, 35. All were convicted in the 1970 Leningrad hijack trial and had been imprisoned since June of that year. Only last week they were pardoned by Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev and released from prison more than a year before the expiration of their 10-year sentences. Two of their fellow prisoners, Eduard Kuznetsov and Mark Dymshits, who were released at the same time, will arrive here tomorrow from New York.
THANKS CARTER FOR HELP
Begin addressed the men in Hebrew and-Russian. He switched to English to thank Carter and other American government officials for their role in gaining freedom for the released prisoners. “Yesterday, I spoke on the phone with President Carter, Secretary (of State Cyrus) Vance and the head of the National Security Council Prof. (Zbigniew) Brzezinski,” he said.
“I thanked them all for the efforts they made to set our brethren free. Of course, our main gratitude goes to the President who took the decision. He asked me to greet you, dear brethren, upon your arrival in Israel and he promised me to continue the efforts until the release of all prisoners of Zion in the Soviet Union.”
Resuming his speech in Hebrew, Begin said, “It is a great day, Our hearts are filled with emotions. Let us pray to the Lord that we shall soon have here all, all the prisoners of Zion, freed from Soviet jails and gathering in Israel. Together with your families you will live in the mother country, you will be free citizens and together with us you shall help build Israel so it becomes an example for the entire world.”
IMMIGRANT CARDS PRESENTED
Altman, who replied on behalf of his comrades, thanked everyone in Israel and abroad who had labored for their release. He recalled the poem of Chaim Nachman Bialik who spoke of those who may be forgotten and urged that efforts must be doubled for the release of the others still in Soviet jails. Altman, speaking in accented Hebrew declared; “We shall never forget our friends and brethren.” A highlight of the greeting was the presentation of immigrant cards to each of the five men by Minister of Absorption and Housing David Levy.
The scene at Ben Gurion Airport had only one counterpart — when the Israeli hostages were returned from Entebbe, Uganda in July 1977. Thongs packed the immigrant processing hall at the air terminal despite a severe heat wave. The dignitaries present constituted a who’s who of Israel.
Leon Dulzin, chairman of the World Zionist Organization and Jewish Agency Executives, greeted the newcomers in the name of the Zionist movement. He said their release was the best present Israel could have received on the eve of the Independence Day celebrations that begin tomorrow. He thanked all responsible for the release of the prisoners and vowed that efforts will be continued to free the others still behind barbed wire or in the labor camps of Siberia.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
