More than 3,000 immigrants, the vast majority of them from the Soviet Union, arrived in Israel during the first five days of the war with Iraq.
Special El Al flights kept bringing in Soviet Jews from the transit stations in Eastern Europe — Budapest, Warsaw and Bucharest — even during the two nights when Iraqi missiles hit Tel Aviv.
A planeload of Ethiopian immigrants, coming by way of Rome, also arrived during this time.
In a special consultation held shortly after hostilities in the Persian Gulf began, Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir and Jewish Agency Chairman Simcha Dinitz decided it would be preferable not to halt immigrant flights, despite the emergency footing in Israel.
One reason for not stopping the immigrant airlift from Eastern Europe is, paradoxically, security. It is believed that the immigrants are safer in Israel than if they stayed for days or weeks in the transit centers. During the past year, Arab terror groups have threatened to strike at the transit operation.
During the first three weeks of January, about 10,000 immigrants arrived. Absorption officials in Jerusalem believe that the total for this month will be considerably lower than the record 35,000 immigrants who arrived in December.
Absorption Minister Yitzhak Peretz said concerns about the war in the Middle East have led some Soviet immigrants to postpone their departure. He added that recent cuts in the absorption grant given newcomers during their first year have prompted others to reconsider.
BROADCASTS IN AMHARIC AND RUSSIAN
Israel Television interviewed some of the undaunted Soviet immigrants who arrived on Sunday. Soon after they deplaned and started the paperwork with Absorption Ministry officials at Ben-Gurion Airport, the immigrants were given gas masks. Russian-speaking soldiers gave them instructions on their use.
“Of course we heard about the missile attack on Israel when we were still in the Soviet Union,” said an elderly man, his chest covered with Soviet medals and decorations.
“But you know what the government there says: Israel should not retaliate. What they don’t tell people is that Russia sold Iraq the missiles!”
Said a young woman: “Of course we heard about the missiles, and we are somewhat afraid. But I still want to live in Tel Aviv. It’s important for me to live in a big city.”
Another woman, who was recorded while she spoke on the phone to relatives shortly after her arrival, said: “Yes, everything is alright. We have been given our gas masks. It’s good to be here.”
An Absorption Ministry official at the airport said the new immigrants are so preoccupied with getting settled that they do not have much time to worry about the security situation.
Newscasts and special emergency announcements in Russian are broadcast by Israel Television. The radio carries important announcements in Russian and other languages, including Amharic, the language spoken by Ethiopian immigrants.
Efforts are being made by government and voluntary organizations to provide transistor radios to the new immigrants, so that they can follow emergency announcements.
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