New Chile Regime Urged to Be Alert to Any Anti-semitism

The American Jewish Committee today called upon the new government of Chile to “be alert to any signs or acts of anti-Semitism” in the wake of the overthrow of the Allende government, and “to be prepared to uphold Chile’s proud record as a democratic nation by taking appropriate action against those who would attempt to promote anti-Semitism within its borders.” In a statement by Elmer L. Winter. AJ Committee national president, the organization pointed to the fact that “disturbing evidence of growing anti-Semitism appeared in the press and among certain elements in Chilean society” in the period preceding Tuesday’s coup.

There has been a disturbing tendency, Winter continued, “to make Jews in public office–and, by extension, the Chilean Jewish community–the scapegoats for Chile’s economic and political ills.” There were approximately 150 Jews, most of them technicians and professionals, in various positions in the Allende government. Winter also attributed this relatively new phenomenon of an emerging anti-Semitism in Chile to the fact that the Arab League, which was permitted to open a regional office for Latin America in Santiago in 1972, had launched a “vigorous and wide-spread anti-Israel and anti-Jewish campaign, which is believed to have included acts of violence against major Jewish institutions.”

Dov Peleg, an Israeli athlete who participated in the traditional walking competition from Rome to Castel Gandolfo, the Pope’s summer residence, was presented with a gold-plated key holder by Pope Paul VI who received the athletes of the four competing nations. Peleg, who lives in Ein Hachoresh, Israel, said in a telephone call today from Rome that the Pope shook his hand and said a few words to him in English.

Knesset Speaker Yisrael Yeshayahu received yesterday the Druze writer, Mussbah Halabi, who presented him with his recently published book, “The Druze In Israel.”