State Department sources said today four American theology students who were detained by Syrian troops were reported freed in Damascus. The Arabs released the Americans when it was discovered they were American Christians of German descent and not Jews.
The four were identified as naturalized Americans born in Canada of German extraction. It is expected that a member of the United Nations truce team will drive the car the Americans left behind in Israel to Damascus so that the group can continue its tour.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.