A Moscow radio Arabic broadcast today assured its listeners that the Soviet Union was limiting the number of Russian Jews allowed to emigrate to Israel. “Jews can leave the Soviet Union like all other citizens but exit visas for Jews going to Israel are considered in relation to the Middle East situation,” the broadcast said.
It claimed that “There is no foundation to the recent reports in reactionary circles, Western and Arab, that there had been an increasing Jewish emigration from the Soviet Union.” The broadcast said this was “a lie purveyed by the imperialists and their Zionist henchmen.” According to Moscow radio “the number of Jews who have left the Soviet Union since 1945 does not exceed 21,000.”
The Golan Heights was shelled this morning from the Syrian line. There were no casualties and no damage reported.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.