A B’nai B’rith study released this week accuses Cuban Premier Fidel Castro of embarking on a systematic campaign to discredit and destroy Israel in an attempt to win leadership of the Third World and continued financial aid from the Soviet Union. The study, by Dr. Harris Schoenberg, deputy director for United Nations affairs of the B’nai B’rith International Council, is titled “Betrayal of an Ideal: Cuba’s campaign against Israel.”
According to Schoenberg, Cuban armed forces “have served with and trained Arab forces and terrorist groups committed to Israel’s destruction.” He said Cuba trained Arab pilots and troops, served as spokesman for the Soviets at various conferences and attacked Israel repeatedly during Castro’s tour of Africa. At every opportunity Castro “appeared as the unofficial sponsor of the Palestine Liberation Organization,” especially at the UN where Cuba co-sponsored the resolution equating Zionism with racism,” Schoenberg said.
The study said that Cuba’s policy toward Israel was characterized by “correctness and near cordiality” until 1973 when Cuba announced at the Algiers summit conference of non-aligned states that it was breaking off relations with Israel. Schoenberg claimed that the Cuban about-face was an attempt by Castro to divert attention from his nation’s economic problems and “unspeakable political oppression.” The study said that late in 1972, Castro returned from a visit to Moscow with “extraordinary” new economic agreements which by now is reported to amount to $1 billion a year. “In return for this bonanza, the Cuban government was ready to serve Soviet interests in the Third World,” Schoenberg said.
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