The Jewish Social Welfare Foundation here has announced it will no longer give legal assistance to refugees from the former Soviet Union seeking political asylum in Holland.
Explaining its decision, the foundation said it believes that many of those arriving from the former Soviet Union have attained forged documents to back up claims of their Jewish origin.
About 1,000 people with false documents arrived in Holland during the past year-and-a-half, the foundation said.
The organization also noted that others claiming to have arrived directly from the former Soviet Union in fact arrived from Israel.
Holland offers political asylum only to people who were persecuted in their own country, but not to those who arrive via Israel.
The foundation noted that the total number of people seeking political asylum in Holland during the first eight months of 1994 stood at 35,000, the same as the total number of applications received in all of 1993.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
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.
