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Iranian olim arriving at Ben-Gurion Airport on Tuesday (Alon Ron) del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 18:21 26/12/2007 Iran Jewish leader calls recent mass aliyah 'misinformation' bid By Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz Correspondent, and The Associated Press Tags: Aliyah, Ciamak Morsathegh  A top Iranian Jewish community leader on Wednesday described the recent immigration of 40 Iranian Jews to Israel as a misinformation campaign and insisted that Jews living in the Islamic Republic were not in danger under hard-line policies of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. A group of 40 Iranian Jews landed in Israel on Tuesday, the largest since the fall of the Shah and Iran's Islamic Revolution in 1979. The immigrants, from Tehran, Shiraz, and Isfahan, each received a $10,000 grant from international Jewish organizations. No details about their route of exit from Iran were given, but it was assumed they came through a third country. Advertisement A total of 200 Iranian Jews have immigrated to Israel in 2007, compared to only 65 in 2006. Ciamak Morsathegh, who heads the Tehran Jewish Committee, claimed Wednesday that the immigrants were not Iranian because pictures broadcast on television in Israel on Tuesday did not show their faces. In Israel, the broadcasters did not show their faces because there was concern that publicity could lead to harm of Jews still in Iran. "This is a misinformation campaign, a campaign of lies against Iran and its Jewish community. We can't confirm that 40 Iranian Jews landed in Israel," Morsathegh told The Associated Press. A joint statement signed by Morsathegh and Morris Motamed, the only Jewish lawmaker in the Iranian parliament, also said the Iranian Jews have never been part of any organized immigration to Israel. The operation to Israel was sponsored by the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, a charity that funnels millions of dollars from evangelical donors each year. Yehiel Eckstein, a rabbi who founded the fellowship, said each immigrant receives US$10,000 from the group to help get them started in Israel. He has warned that the situation facing Iranian Jews is critical, because of the attitude of Ahmadinejad, who has called for Israel to be wiped off the map. "Our feeling is that this is very similar to the situation of Jews in Germany in the 1930s," Eckstein said of the threat facing Jews in Iran. "By the time they realize it's not going to blow over, it'll be too late. All it needs is a U.S. or Israeli strike against Iran's nuclear program for them to come down strong on the local Jewish population." Though Iran doesn't recognize Israel, and Iranian citizens are not legally authorized to travel to the Jewish state, Morsathegh insisted Jews in Iran are not in danger. Iran's Jewish community of about 25,000 people is protected by the country's constitution and remains the largest in the Muslim Middle East. Synagogues, Jewish schools and stores operate openly. Morsathegh said in Tehran there are 20 synagogues, eight butchers, five schools, four youth organizations and two restaurants. Morsathegh said Iranians, including Jews, immigrated from Iran following the 1979 Islamic revolution that brought hard-line clerics to power but said there had not been an exodus of Jews from Iran in recent years. "We are one of the oldest communities in Iran. We are free to practice our religion. Anti-Semitism is a Western phenomenon but Jews have never been in danger in Iran," said Morsathegh, who spoke in his office in the Sapir Charity Hospital, which is run by Iranian Jews. Morsathegh said Iran's Jewish community disagreed with hard-line Ahmadinejad when he called the Holocaust a myth but insisted his policies do not endanger Iran's Jewish minority. While some of the Iranian Jewish immigrants in Israel were quoted as saying that they are scared to wear a skullcap in the streets in Iran, Morsathegh said it was sheer lies. "We are Iranian Jews and are proud of our nationality. No amount of money can encourage us to give up Iran. Our nationality is not up for sale," Morsathegh said. Related articles: Israel welcomes largest group of Iran olim since Islamic Revolution Aliyah sees 9% dip from 2005 More Jewish World news and features Bookmark to del.icio.us Who shot Bhutto? Conspiracy theories over the assassination of the Pakistani opposition leader abound. Obama and Israel Israelis following the U.S. elections are not clear on Obama's approach.   1.   Methinks the Iranian protesteth too much 17:47  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 26/12/07   2.   International Fellowship of Christians and Jews 17:50  |  Yaakov Sullivan 26/12/07   3.   yeah, right 17:51  |  dd 26/12/07   4.   Irans Leaders will do anything to 18:15  |  Kris 26/12/07   5.   Iran Jewish leader 18:28  |  Soraya 26/12/07   6.   you mean the joooos lied? (again) 18:32  |  shocked!! shock!!! 26/12/07   7.   Iranian Jews have been part of Iran/Persia for 1000s of years 18:37  |  anti-racist 26/12/07   8.   The usual agitprop against Iran! 18:42  |  lakshmi 26/12/07   9.   anti-racist 18:46  |  Albert Seligman 26/12/07   10.   bribe? 18:58  |  realism 26/12/07   11.   Realism and Wondering 19:29  |  Albert Seligman 26/12/07   12.   Lakshmi and immigration 19:32  |  Albert Seligman 26/12/07   13.   What else can the poor guy held hostage in Iran say? 21:23  |  Genuine Tosefta 26/12/07   14.   Give credit to Israel for trying 21:34  |  Iranian-American 26/12/07   15.   albert seligman 11 21:35  |  realism 26/12/07   16.   albert seligman 12 21:41  |  realism 26/12/07   17.   Albert Seligman 22:24  |  splightly 26/12/07   18.   t#14 22:39  |  SeattlePride 26/12/07   19.   Open the border and half of the Iranian population will run away 23:01  |  Daniel Leopold 26/12/07   20.   Another scripted Jewish leader 23:18  |  Yechiel 26/12/07   21.   Sprightly 23:20  |  Albert Seligman 26/12/07   22.   Two facts 23:24  |  Armin 26/12/07   23.   And no one thinks this was up to censorship? 23:49  |  Steve 26/12/07   24.   Israel should not released that kind of news 00:01  |  e.m 27/12/07   25.   Re;Lakshmi.Billions $ US Jewish properties have been confiscated 00:32  |  e.m 27/12/07   26.   $10,000 is nothing 00:45  |  Slibovitz 27/12/07   27.   more lies 01:15  |  edgar 27/12/07   28.   The old "pilgrimage" 02:57  |  bela 28/12/07

Today Online Shmuel Rosner: Israel has Obama's backing to stay a Jewish state Responses: 200 At least 15 dead in Pakistan riots in wake of Bhutto slaying Responses: 127 Amira Hass: Will PA ire at settlements spark a new Intifada? Responses: 100 Editorial: They were brought here as Jews, so treat them as such Responses: 61 Source: Turkey is studying support from Israel 'very closely' Responses: 80 Rosner's Domain An exacerbated tension between Olmert and Rice Rosner's Mailbox: Paul and Huckabee supporters' letters, my responses Jews, enjoy your mistletoe (WTR) Poll: The most likely event to happen in 2008 More Headlines 02:36 IDF kills eight militants in Gaza, including top Islamic Jihad commander 00:13 At least 15 dead in Pakistan unrest in wake of Benazir Bhutto assassination 02:20 Interior Ministry ignoring High Court ruling on conversions 23:05 Knesset plenum approves 2008 State Budget in third reading 23:07 Barack Obama backs Israel remaining a Jewish state 00:04 Bush: Bhutto slaying 'cowardly'; Peres says 'shocked' by attack 02:04 Another record year for defense spending in 2008 21:37 Top PA official: Israel approved import of 50 armored vehicles 01:37 At foreign workers' holiday celebration, hopes for citizenship 01:57 Environment Ministry sanctions likely to cause water shortages Previous Editions Select Day 27 dec 26 dec 25 dec 24 dec 23 dec 21 dec 20 dec 19 dec 18 dec 17 dec 16 dec 14 dec

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