Soviets Let Jews Leave for Visits to Relatives in Israel
The Soviet Union has quietly inaugurated a policy of allowing Jews to leave the country for visits to relatives in Israel, Israeli officials said today.
About 1,400 Soviet Jews entered Israel for visits of one to three months between January and April and about 400 Soviet nationals are currently in Israel on such visits, an official told Reuters.
“It’s another sign of openness (toward Israel). We don’t really know the reasons but we don’t investigate when good things happen,” a Foreign Ministry official said.
“We’re just sorry that it’s a one-way traffic and only a few dozen Israelis are allowed each year to visit relatives in the U.S.S.R.,” he added.
The official said that since late last year, Soviet authorities have been granting tourist exit visas to their nationals who could show invitations from relatives in Israel.
Many of the visitors are pensioners, and official Israeli agencies have organized tours for them in Israel.
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