The United States Army today lifted the ban on emigration to Israel from Austria of refugees between the ages of 18 and 45. An Army spokesman said that the ban has been lifted for all “except those in military categories.”
Jewish organizations here predicted an immediate spurt in emigration as a result of the Army action. It is expected that by July, all the prospective emigrants to Israel will have been transferred except about four to five thousand who wish to migrate to other destinations. The Joint Distribution Committee will continue to care for these refugees until they can be resettled.
Meanwhile, the flow of Jewish refugees into Austria from Eastern European countries, particularly Hungary, is continuing at the rate of about 200 weekly. The Vienna office of the Jewish Agency confirmed the arrival of an undisclosed number of fugitives from eastern countries but refused to state whether they had been expelled. The refugees report strong anti-Zionist activity in the eastern countries.
Harry Greenstein, newly-appointed advisor on Jewish affairs to the U.S. high command in Europe, today conferred here with Dr. Joseph Schwartz, J.D.C. head in Europe, and other relief agency loaders on their relief and emigration programs in various parts of the continent. Dr. Schwartz is planning a tour of J.D.C. headquarters in Warsaw, Budapest and Prague where he hopes to get up-to-date reports on the conditions of the Jews living there.
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