Kahane Supporters Protest Israel’s Refusal to Let Rabbi Come to U.S.

Three supporters of Rabbi Meir Kahane charged yesterday that Kahane was taken off a New York-bound El Al plane at Ben Gurion Airport and told he could not go to the United States “to make trouble for Kissinger.” At a press conference in the lobby of the building housing the Israel Consulate, Gene Singer, spokesman for the three, said Kahane was, scheduled to make a two-month speaking tour of the U.S. He said Kahane had been promised by Israeli authorities that he could leave Israel if he did not make any speeches in the U.S.

(In Jerusalem, Kahane said he had been prevented from leaving because he intended “to arouse United States Jews in angry protest” against the diplomacy of Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger. But border police at Ben Gurion Airport said there was a court order barring him from leaving. Attorney General Meir Shamgar told the JTA the court order was issued pending Kahane’s trial in Tel Aviv District Court Nov. 17 on a charge of attempting to smuggle arms out of Israel.)

But Singer told the JTA here that others in the case had been allowed to leave the country. The Israeli daily, Maariv, said Kahane plans to appeal claiming he had a valid ticket and a permit from the army to travel.

Meanwhile, yesterday, the New York City police expecting a Jewish Defense League demonstration, were out in force and blocked off the street in front of the Consulate. However, no JDL members turned up. Kahane has resigned from the organization he founded and Singer said he and his two companions represented the Jewish Identity Center in New York, a new group headed by Kahane with members in the U.S. and Israel. The Israel Consulate had no comment on Kahane’s reported detention.