Jews and Christians Throughout Free World Raise Voices Against Iraqi Executions

Concern over the fate of the 2,500-3,000 Jews in Iraq, intensified by the recent execution of nine Iraqi Jews alleged to have been spies for Israel and threats that more of that beleaguered community would face drumhead courts, was manifested today in many capitals of the free world. Spokesmen for some governments indicated a readiness to participate in rescue actions.

In Amsterdam, JTA quoted Foreign Minister Joseph Luns as announcing that Jews leaving Arab countries would be welcome in Holland. At The Hague, a Socialist Party spokesman asked the Minister of Justice, Prof. Carl Polak, to issue visas for Iraqi Jews. In Rio de Janiero, the Brazilian Foreign Ministry announced that Brazil’s permanent representative to the United Nations had been instructed to inform the Iraqi Government of Brazil’s “grave, humanitarian concern” over the fate of the Iraqi Jewish community and the treatment given Jewish leaders. In Stockholm, foreign ministers of the Scandinavian community–Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finhand–adopted a resolution warning that the Baghdad executions would adversely affect prospects for a peace settlement in the Middle East.

In the first reported published comment on the executions made in the East European Communist satellite bloc, a Bratislava newspaper, Pravda, denounced the “inhuman methods and actions” of the Iraqi regime. The Slovak daily warned that such actions would only harm Arab prestige in the world. It said the executions were more in the nature of settling old scores than of liquidating spies.

Mrs. Rita Hauser, the young New Yorker appointed by President Nixon as the American representative on the United Nations Human Rights Commission and U An Economic and Social Council, said in Washington today that the execution of the Iraqi Jews would be the first agenda subject taken up by the Commission when it meets in Geneva, Feb. 14. She expressed concern over the fate of the Iraqi Jewish community and said she would urge the President to press for U. S. ratification of the human rights and genocide conventions.

In Paris, Dr. Nahum Goldman, World Jewish Congress president, continued efforts to line up governments and international organizations behind the WJC plea to U N Secretary-General U Thant to seek the emigration of Iraqi Jews.

MASSIVE CROWD MARCHES THROUGH JERUSALEM STREETS, HEARS BEIGIN

A massive demonstration of solidarity with the Jews of Iraq was given in Jerusalem today. Thousands marched through the main streets of the city after hearing Menachem Beigin, Minister Without Portfolio, appear to the nations of the world and international organizations to aid the Jews remaining in Iraq. Another Cabinet member, Police Minister Eliahu Sasson, participated in the memorial services for the nine hanged Jews, lighting nine candles. He told the throng that the world could not be absolved of responsibility for the fate of the slain men, since it had failed to exert enough pressure on Iraq to block the executions.

In Venezuela, Msgr. Jose Rincon Bonilla, Auxiliary Bishop of Caracas, and Father Pedro Barnola, dean of the faculty of humanities of the Catholic University, took part in a mass meeting to protest the executions. Leaders of the Venezuelan Jewish community appealed to the Venezuelan Government to help prevent further executions and to seek permission for the Jews to leave Iraq, Syria and Egypt. In Rio de Janeiro, special prayers were being recited in all synagogues for the well being of the Iraqi Jews.

In Hamilton, Ont., more than a thousand Jews–a quarter of the entire Jewish community–at-tended a demonstration for Iraqi Jewry organized by the Hamilton Council of Jewish Organizations. They telegraphed an appeal to Mitchell Sharp, Canadian Minister for External Affairs, asking his aid to prevent further trials of Jews in Iraq, the release of the remaining Iraqi Jews and the observance by Iraq of U N resolutions calling for humane treatment for civilian prisoners. In Toronto, more than 2,000 attended an open-air prayer meeting for the Iraqi Jews.

In West Orange, N.J., local Christian religious leaders joined in a demonstration sponsored by the Jewish Community Council of Essex (Newark and suburbs) and its Community Relations Committee. A memorial service was held for all 14 victims, including the five Moslems and Christians.

In New York, police arrested 10 persons yesterday as an emotion-charged crowd estimated at 10,000 massed in front of the Iraqi Mission to the U N in a demonstration organized by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. A memorial service for the nine executed Iraqi Jews was held at Kehilath Jeshurun Synagogue. Rabbi Herschel M. Schacter, chairman of the Conference, said today that the demonstration was “the greatest act of Jewish solidarity since the Six-Day War.” He said the demonstration recalled the anti-Nazi rallies in Madison Square Garden during the 1930’s and 1940’s. The Very Rev. Adrian Herbert, representing Archbishop Terence Cook, and Rev. Howard Moody of Judson Memorial Church, participated in the memorial service conducted by Rabbi Haskell-Lookstein. Bayard Rustin, Negro leader, accompanied Rabbi Schacter in depositing a letter on the steps of the Iraqi Mission asking that the Jews be permitted to leave Iraq.