Locking Soviet Jews Onto a One-Way Path : Direct Flights to Israel Would Deny Emigres Their Freedom of Choice

A new danger faces Jews wanting to leave the Soviet Union.

Until now, Soviet Jews arriving in Vienna were entitled to emigrate to any country willing to offer them refuge. And more than 75% have consistently opted for Western nations other than Israel--primarily the United States and Canada.

Now an effort is being made to deprive Soviet Jews of this freedom of choice. A deal is in the making between Moscow and Jerusalem, with some American and Canadian leaders acting as intermediaries, to arrange direct flights from the Soviet Union to Israel by way of Romania.

What is remarkable is that this attempt to deliver Soviet Jews to Israel, even contrary to their will, is not a product of the Soviet repressive mind. On a number of occasions Soviet spokesmen have made disparaging comments about Jews who seek exit visas under the pretext of going to Israel and then scatter all over the world instead. Bad-mouthing those who decide to leave the socialist paradise is the favorite sport of the Soviets. But the Kremlin has never suggested that the failure of Soviet Jews to go to Israel was a serious obstacle to increasing emigration numbers. As a matter of fact, these numbers reached their peak in 1979--51,000--when a considerable majority of emigres failed to go to Israel.

The initiative to cut the deal regarding the direct flights came strictly from Israel and its confidants in the United States. The Soviets made no promises that the arrangement would change their emigration practices beyond a modest liberalization already under way. The real purpose of the deal is not to get more Soviet Jews out but rather to force more of them to settle in Israel.

If the Israeli government had its way, the rights of Soviet Jews would be restricted even further. During a recent visit to the United States, Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir attempted to persuade a reluctant State Department to make changes in U.S. immigration law that would deprive Soviet Jews of the refugee status that they currently enjoy. There was no support on that issue from the American Jewish leadership. But, while refusing to use their political clout in America to keep Soviet Jews out, some Jewish leaders agreed to moderate the direct-flight scheme between Israel and the Soviet Union.

The Soviets may be willing to oblige. Their American interlocutors told them that, by accepting the direct-flights solution, the American Jewish community would perceive the Soviet action as an important step toward increasing Moscow’s chances to receive trade benefits currently banned by the Jackson-Vanik Amendment. The amendment links preferential tariff treatment and subsidized credits for the Kremlin with the freedom of emigration. The Politburo would much rather see a limited American leverage applied toward codifying the destination of emigres rather than to guarantee a major jump in their numbers.

The Israelis have a perfectly legitimate interest in seeing most Soviet Jewish emigres come to their country. These people would not be able to apply without submitting official invitations from Israel. And the Jewish state is understandably embarrassed when, after using its auspices, Soviet Jews go elsewhere. In addition, demographic trends in Israel favoring the Arab population make an influx of Jewish immigrants from the Soviet Union highly desirable. No wonder that Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres has described the direct-flights understanding as “the most crucial part” of the off-and-on dialogue between Moscow and Jerusalem.

Still, Jews all around the world surely do enough to help Israel that the Jewish state does not have to demand the right of the first night from Soviet emigres in exchange for vital invitations. Once they step on Israeli soil, Soviet Jews automatically become Israeli citizens and lose their eligibility for U.S. refugee status. They, of course, would be entitled to apply for immigration to the United States under a quota for Israel. But that would likely take years and inflict an additional hardship on people who have already had more than their share of suffering in the Soviet Union.

Besides, what is the struggle for Soviet Jews all about? Is it about their basic human rights or about which government--Soviet or Israeli--will have control over them? Morality is not always convenient, but it is always right.