The Government reported today that eight Iraqi Jews and four Syrian Jews have been released from prison during the last 48 hours and credited international public opinion with bringing about their release. The Government said the eight Iraqi Jews had been in jail since Oct. and the Syrian Jews — three sisters and their cousin — were imprisoned since Sept.
The prisoners’ release was reported by Foreign Minister Abba Eban at today’s Cabinet meeting. Eban expressed confidence that the weight of world opinion would bring about the release of four other Syrian Jews still in jail. Foreign Ministry officials emphasized that the release of the 12 Jews in Baghdad and Damascus “proves the positive effect of world opinion” even though certain Western governments had expressed skepticism about its efficacy.
The officials praised the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium and Australia for taking steps that apparently prompted the Iraqi and Syrian authorities to free the prisoners. The officials could not say where the released prisoners are now but they appealed to the Iraqi and Syrian governments to permit any Jew who wishes to emigrate to do so.
The Committee for Iraqi Jews which earlier disclosed the release of the eight Baghdad Jews, said they had been originally confined to a maximum security prison where they were treated harshly but were transferred last week to another jail reserved for political prisoners where conditions were better. The committee said its future activities would concentrate on getting the Iraqi authorities to permit the remaining Jews in that country to emigrate. There are reportedly between 350-400 Jews in Iraq and about 4500 in Syria.
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