The B’nai B’rith International Council has appealed for “massive international intervention”for Iraqi and Syrian Jews “before these beleaguered communities disappear” Representatives of B’nai B’rith affiliates in 40 countries at the Council’s annual meeting last week, urged particularly that the United Nations “act in the spirit and letter of its charter to protect those whose fundamental human rights are being trampled upon. A Council report said that the Jewish communities in both countries were being victimized by “government administered” harassments and terror tactics,
David M, Blumberg. B’nai B’rith president told the Council that Iraqi and Syrian Jews “are hostages of the Middle East conflict. Their religious, cultural and ethnic identify is being systematically destroy “He charged Iraq and Syria with “clear violation of Article of the UN Genocide Convention” that outlaws acts in tended to destroy all or part of a national, ethnic racial or religious group, A need for the United States to “consider carefully” its projected sale of military equipment to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia was emphasized by Dr, William A Wexler, Council chairman.
“The US. policy of maintaining a balance of arms in Israel’s favor has prevented an outbreak of large scale flighting “Dr Wexier said “It would be foolish for American interests to compromise that policy” Although neither Arab state has been directly involved in military attacks against Israel,” both have been violently anti Israel and supporters of Egypt’s belligerence and El Fatah terrorism.” Dr Wexier said ” The State Department itself has acknowledged there are no guarantees by either nation that it won’t transfer the Phantom jets it wants to buy to Egypt or some other Arab belligerent, he said.
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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.