Zalmanson Continues Hunger Fast Despite Pleas for Her to End It

Mrs. Ruth Allon, wife of Israeli Foreign Minister Yigal Allon, visited Silva Zalmanson at the Isaiah Wall this morning to try to persuade her to end her hunger strike, now in its tenth day, Ms. Zalmanson who looks pale and weak, has been subsisting on water in order to dramatize her appeal for the release of her husband. Eduard Kuznetsov, and her brothers, Israel and Wolf Zalmanson, from Soviet labor camps where she herself had been incarcerated until last year.

Mrs. Allon promised Ms, Zalmanson that Israel would advance her case with the Soviet Union through a third party and urged her meanwhile to break her fast. When she was similarly urged by Foreign Minister Allon who visited her at her vigil Monday, Ms, Zalmanson said she would persist “until I see some results.”

A similar appeal to end her hunger strike was made yesterday by a group of public officials and women leaders of all major faiths who visited her at the Isaiah Wall. They included the city’s Human Rights Commissioner, Eleanor Holmes Norton; Bronx Borough President Robert Abrams, and City Council woman Carol Greitzer. Telegrams from Sen. James Buckley (C-R.N.Y.), Gov. Hugh Carey of New York, and Rep. Richard Ottinger (D.NY) were read, also urging her to end her hunger strike.

Dr. Samuel Korman, chairman of the New York Medical Committee on Soviet Jewry, presented a report indicating the need for Ms. Zalmanson to resume eating. The report was prepared by Dr. Korman and Dr. Lowell E. Bellin, the New York City Health Commissioner.

Ms. Zalmanson’s husband and brothers have been imprisoned since their conviction at the first Leningrad trial in December, 1970. Eduard Kuznetsov is serving a 15-year sentence and the Zalmanson brothers eight and ten-year sentences, respectively. Ms, Zalmanson was sentenced to 10 years but was released after four and emigrated to Israel.