At the request of the Jewish Community Council of Metropolitan Boston, Mayor Kevin White cable grammed the Mayor of Baghdad, Iraq. Ibrahim Ishmael, calling upon him to “prevent senseless violence and persecution toward the Jews of Baghdad and to seek to restore their human rights.” The telegram was precipitated by the fears of recent murder of nine Iraqi Jews imprisoned last Sept. and Nov.
A copy of White’s telegram was also sent to the president of Iraq. Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr. Earlier, Justin L. Wyner, president of the Jewish Community Council, telegraphed Secretary of State William P. Rogers urging him “to use the good offices of the U.S. government, with the It-alian. French and English governments to immediately ascertain the facts on this matter.”
In his telegram, White said, “We are greatly disturbed by recent reports that Jews in Baghdad are being subjected to harassment and arrest. This is in direct contradiction to recent statements of Iraqi officials asserting that its Jewish citizens enjoy full rights and freedom, and it is also in violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”
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