Speech #990177843

Every Jew in the Soviet Union is at risk of imprisonment and brutal beatings by Soviet officials. Despite being signatories to numerous international human rights agreements. the Soviets have made clear they will tolerate no religious expression. But neither will they grant permission to the many Jews who want to leave the Soviet Union. Last year. barely more than 1.000 Jews were permitted to leave the U.S.S.R. More than 400.000 still await permission to emigrate. What does it say about a country that has to keep nearly onehalf million Jews walled within its borders? The unrelenting persecution of Soviet Jews must remain a priority for the West.