About 40 of the Soviet Union’s most prominent Jewish citizens appeared at a Government-sponsored press conference in Moscow yesterday to denounce Israeli aggression, Zionist chauvinism and proclaim that there was no discrimination or repression of Jews in the USSR. The press conference was seen as part of the mounting anti-Israel, anti-Zionist campaign begun by Soviet news media two weeks ago after Israeli bombers attacked a civilian metal factory in Egypt, killing 60 persons and wounding 70. Israeli officials said the attack had been an error. An important feature of the campaign has been the solicitation of anti-Israel statements from Russian Jews, particularly those prominent in arts, letters and science and academic fields.
One of the most vocal participants in yesterday’s press conference was Deputy Premier Veniamin E. Dymshits, the highest Jewish office holder in the Soviet Union. The proceedings were chaired by Leonid I. Zamyatin, chief spokesman of the Soviet Foreign Ministry, who is not Jewish. He opened with a statement that Soviet Mideast policy rejects guerrilla programs for the destruction of Israel but supports the guerrillas in their effort to liberate Arab lands occupied by Israel. All of the Jews present were among the 52 Jewish signatories of a recent statement denouncing Israel, Zionism and United States imperialism. One prominent Soviet Jewish jurist, Dr. Mikhail Strogovitch, said Russia would continue to restrict immigration to Israel as long as Israel continued its present policies. Dr. Strogovitch said “We don’t want to increase the aggressive armed forces of Israel at the expense of the Soviet people.”
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