ROANOKE TIMES

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, March 26, 1990                   TAG: 9003262233
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A/6   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: NEW YORK                                LENGTH: Short


SOVIET JEWS OFFERED HELP FROM POLAND

The head of Poland's new government is offering to help Soviet Jews get to Israel now that their main route has been lost because of terrorist threats.

Last week, Hungary's airline said it was ending charter flights to Israel for the emigrants because of threats from Arab extremists.

Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki of Poland told leaders of the American Jewish Congress on Sunday night that his country was prepared to step in and provide assistance.

"Just as in the Middle Ages Poles gave refuge to Jews fleeing persecution, Poland will not evade humanitarian assistance to Jews emigrating from the Soviet Union," he said, bringing cheers from a crowd of about 300 people.

Mazowiecki's spokeswoman, Malgorzata Niezabitowska, said there was no formal plan, but that if asked, Poland's LOT national airline would be willing to provide charter flights for Soviet Jews.

- Associated Press



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