UPHEAVAL IN THE EAST; U.S. Praises Poland’s Plans To Fly Soviet Jews to Israel
Reuters
Published: March 28, 1990

http://www.nytimes.com/1990/03/28/world/upheaval-in-the-east-us-praises-poland-s-plans-to-fly-soviet-jews-to-israel.html

WASHINGTON, March 27— The United States praised Poland today for agreeing to fly Soviet Jews to Israel and deplored the decision of the Hungarian airline, Malev, to stop flights in the face of threats of terrorism.

”We deplore the terrorist threats which have led to these decisions. We believe a more appropriate course of action would be to provide the required levels of security,” said the State Department spokeswoman, Margaret D. Tutwiler.

Malev announced last week it was stopping the flights, which have carried thousands of Soviet Jews to Israel in recent months, because of threats by a pro-Iranian group based in Lebanon, the Islamic Holy War for the Liberation of Palestine.

Poland offered Monday to increase its flights to Israel to accommodate Soviet Jewish emigrants, and the Israelis have also pledged to find alternative routes. Miss Tutwiler said: ”We regard as outrageous the efforts by terrorists to threaten or disrupt the flights of Soviet Jews going to Israel. We are very pleased to see that Poland is willing to act as a transit point. They are acting very responsibly, and we hope that others will as well.”