Fear of War with Iran Impeding Aliyah

By JTA August 19, 2012

Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky said the fear of a war with Iran has caused Jews in the Diaspora to delay their aliyah plans.

Sharansky told Israel Radio on Sunday that potential immigrants who had finalized their plans to move to Israel have delayed their arrival by several months because they are afraid of an Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities and an Iranian response.

Public discussions by Israeli politicians and defense officials about an Iran strike “have crossed every red line,” Sharansky said.

Some 350 new immigrants from North America arrived on a charter aliyah flight last week.

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