Newspaper Article

ALIYA: HUMAN RIGHTS, NOT ZIONISM

Immanuel, Jon

1990

Overview

IF [Shamir]'S statement that Israel needs \"the space for the new immigrants\" exploited \"the miracle\" of mass Soviet Jewish immigration for political purposes, the U.S. administration's sharp reaction made clear that the two allies are at cross-purposes on the meaning of Jewish immigration. While Shamir thinks of demographic politics and immigration making it easier to push for a bigger, stronger Israel, Bush thinks the West's contribution to pushing for Soviet Jewish emigration should compensate Israel in people for the land it plans to encourage Israel to relinquish. There has been no indication since Shamir's \"big Israel\" speech, that any Western government would place limits on Soviet Jewish immigration to Israel. The opposite is true. Estimates of Jewish immigration have tripled, and the Soviet government has been outspoken, even blunt, in condemning Arab attempts to end it. Shamir's bureau chief Yossi Ahimeir says \"all the attempts to give the impression that the U.S. has changed its policy because of what the prime minister said is not correct.\" But Shamir, in defending his refusal to say yes now to the Baker Plan, maintained he was shocked by statements made by the U.S. administration in recent weeks, which can be taken to include the U.S. reaction to his speech.

• Publisher: The Jerusalem Post Ltd
• Subject: Lapidoth, Ruth / Sharansky, Natan / Stern, Yuri