The Soviet Union. succumbing to heavy pressure from Arab nations. refused to permit El Al Airline direct flights between Moscow and Tel Aviv. This decision was made despite an earlier agreement reached in December between El Al and the Soviet airline Aeroflot allowing for direct flights from Moscow to Tel Aviv. Sources have indicated that more than 1 million Jews in the Soviet Union have begun the emigration process and over 300.000 are ready to emigrate. but with waiting lists up to a year long for departing flights. the ban on direct flights will mean that 15.000 to 20.000 Soviet Jews with permission to leave will be unable to do so. Every Member of this Senate has signed a letter to President Gorbachev urging him to implement the airline agreement. Doing so would enable more than 700 Jewish emigrants to leave the Soviet Union each day. But as of yet. Gorbachev and the Soviet Government continue to block direct El Al flights thus instilling in thousands of Soviet Jews the very real fear that progress in the Soviet Union will be reversed and they will be trapped in that country.
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emigrate emigration emigrants