Presumably Andropov joined in that decision to make an exception in the case of the Jews. At least one hopes SO. On the other hand. it. is not hard to describe how the Soviet Jewish condition could be made infinitely better: Anatoly Shcharansky and the other Jewish prisoners could be released from their jails. the thousands of refuseniks could be allowed to emigrate. a decision could be taken to permit Jewish emigration to Israel at the 1979 rate of 50.000 per year. or even much higher: statesponsored antiSemitism and harassment of all activities which give substance to Jewish identity could stop. Our most optimistic goals can only be reached through a process of negotiation. either between the Soviets and the Israelis. which cannot occur as long as there are no diplomatic relations between them. or between the United States and the Soviet Union. which cannot occur in any meaningful way unless and until relations between the two superpowers begin to thaw. It would seem to be in the Soviet interest to resume diplomatic relations with Israel.
Keywords matched
emigrate emigration