Israel’s Cabinet began today consideration of specific problems entailed in maintaining the flow of Israel-bound Soviet Jews through Austria with the closing down of Schoenau. At the same time voices were raised in Israel for a world-wide effort to mobilize public opinion against the Kreisky decision.
The influential daily, Maariv, called on American Jews to initiate a world-wide Jewish boycott of Austria. A Maariv editorial declared today that the Austrian Chancellor “who stood like a beaten dog facing two Arab terrorists has suddenly become very tough. He announces that he would resign rather than change his decision and he is apparently backed by the majority of Austrians.”
In Jerusalem, Haifa, Beersheba and other cities, some 7000 young Israelis demonstrated against the decision to close the Schoenau facility. They carried placards stating, “Kreisky, Tomorrow You Will Need Schoenau,” “Et Tu Kreisky,” and “From Russia, With Love.”
This evening the Jewish Agency Executive issued a statement, following a meeting to discuss the developments connected with ensuring passage of migrants from Russia to Israel through Austria, reaffirming its demand that the Austrian government revoke its decision. In making this demand the Executive said it was encouraged by the reactions voiced all over the world against the Austrian decision.
The statement further said that the decision would obstruct emigration from Russia. “Such a decision, coming as a result of a criminal terrorist act, has severe implications for the life of the international community,” the statement noted. The Jewish Agency Executive called on all the Jewish communities throughout the world to dedicate their Yom Kippur prayers to the welfare of the Jews in Russia and in the Arab countries and to renew with greater emphasis their determination not to rest in their efforts until all Jews are free.
Leon Dulzin, acting Agency chairman, said he hoped the Agency would be given at least two to three months to arrange new transit procedures. Moshe Rivlin, the Agency’s director general, said Israel was determined that “every Jew who gets out of Russia will be brought to Israel.”
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