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PAGE 2 THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE February 14, 1986
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Credit enough for everyone
in Shcharansky’s release
by Joseph Polakoff
TSI's Washington Correspondent
W ASHINGTON —Why did So
viet authorities release Anatoly
Shcharansky at this particular time' 1
Who was primarily responsible for
bringing about his freedom after
he had'served eight of the 13 years
imposed upon him by Soviet courts?
What are the objectives now of the
“Save Soviet Jewry" movement
that had Shcharansky’s imprison
ment as a central case to its cam
paigns for human rights in the
U.S.S.R.
These were among questions
raised once Shcharansky and his
beloved wife A vital, who had strug
gled for 12 years to have him freed,
were reunited in Frankfurt.
On arrival in Israel, Shcharansky
was embraced by Prime Minister
Shimon Peres and Foreign Minis
ter Yitzhak Shamir. Peres asked
him in Hebrew. “How are you?”
Shcharansky replied: “Everything
is OK.”
Israeli President Chaim Herzog
'said on CBS that Shcharansky did
not spy or violate any law. Shcha
ransky w ished to be identified as “a
proud Jew." Herzog also said in
Israel that Shcharansky was a
“symbol and a flag" for Soviet
Jews wishing to emigrate.
At the White House, chief spo
kesman Larry Speakes said: “Shcha-
ransky’s release is a product of
close U.S.-German cooperation
over an extended period of time.
The president has expressed his
warm appreciation of Chancellor
(Helmut) Kohl for the substantia!
contribution of the government of
the Federal Republic of Germany
in bringing about Mr. Shcharan-
Father Drinan
sky’s release.”
At the Stale Department, spo
kesman Bernard Kalb read a state
ment that said President Reagan
and Chancellor Kohl "welcome the
fact that it has been possible to
gain the release of Anatoly Shcha
ransky—a Prisoner of Conscience.”
The statement reiterated that the
outcome was “a product of close
cooperation" between the U.S. and
West German governments.
Kalb added, “We do not con
sider this to be a spy case. There
have been releases in the past of
human rights activists. As a matter
of fact, we consider Shcharansky’s
release to be an additional and
separate benefit to a package
arrangement which otherwise dea : s
with intelligence matters on both
sides.
“We would have preferred that
the Soviets simply release Shcha
ransky, but it was clear that the
Soviet authorities were not re
sponding to the numerous appeals
family, governments and private
organizations around the world.
Our overriding concern in making
the trade was Shcharansky’s per
sonal health and well-being out.
not in. in short.
“We have made absolutely clear,"
Kalb continued, “that the circum
stances of Shcharansky’s release
do not in any way corroborate
Soviet allegations of his involve
ment in espionage. The bottom
line for us is that this courageous
man has finally been given his
freedom.”
“Presidents Carter and Reagan,”
Kalb added, “have stated publicly
that Shcharansky was not an agent
of the U.S. government, it was
clear that the Soviets in 1978 ar
rested Shcharansky for his acti
vism as a highly effective leader of
the Moscow-Helsinki monitoring
group and a proponent of freedom
of emigration. He has consistentlv
maintained his own innocence, as
has his family. So by way of em
phasis and re-emphasis, Anatoly
Shcharansky was never an agent of
any kind of the U.S. government,
despite the trumped-up evidence.
However, the Rev. Robert Dri
nan. the Jesuit priest who had
served for years as a Democratic
congressman from Massachussetts,
named Avital Shcharansky as “the
person most responsible" for her
husband's freedom. “It was Avital
who brought about the miracle on
Feb. II, 1986," Drinan said, re
sponding at a news conference ar
ranged by the Union of Councils
for Soviet Jews to a question about
the White House statement. Dri
nan. who is chairman of the Inter
national Committee to Free Anatolv
Shcharansky. predated intense
Ahavath Achim Synagogue
Singles
Shabbat
Dinner
Come and share in a traditional Shabbat experience! The
evening features a multi-course meal, services, and an
Oneg Shabbat to follow.
Dinner - 6:45 PM
W i" - 1 Services - 8:15 PM
reO. Oneg - 9:15 PM
Make your reservations immediately by sending a $10.00 check by
February 17, 1986 to:
Ahavath Achim Synagogue
600 Peachtree Battle Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30327
Attn: Singles Dinner
Please include your name, phone number and address.
For more information or to phone in your reservation,
call the Synagogue Office at 355-5222.
Your Chance To
Honor The Astronauts
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future efforts by the Shcharanskys
for Soviet Jewry. Drinan said that
Shcharansky’s release is “a victors
that has many fathers. There arc
many victors today,” he said. He
said. “President Carter deser\es a
lot of credit. He proclaimed to the
world that Shcharansky had no
connection to the CIA. Today, we
can all claim victory.”
“What is the new struggle'. 1 " Dri
nan was asked. He pointed to Dr.
Alexander L.erner, who is among
the earliest refusniks in Moscow,
w ho has said, “We are all jubilant
for Anatoly, but how about us?
Drinan added. “We w ill seek to get
more good-faith commitments from
the Soviet Union." Why did the
Soviet Union release him now in a
spy exchange? a reporter asked.
Drinan replied. "We don’t quarrel
about that — if a victory has come
about. Human rights is now a code
word and no nation can violate
human rights and get away w ith it
Mark Epstein, director ot the
Union of Councils for Soviet Jews,
quoted Alan Dershowitz. the Har
vard professor who was a lawyer
for Avital, as having said. “Take
one minute to rejoice and then
return to what we are doing ’ Ep
stein said that if he were asked
whether there is a change in Soviet
policy of immigration and Jewish
cultural activity he would say, "Not
yet.”
V*
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