Syrian resident claims Jewish ancestry, seeks Israeli rescue

In a recording transmitted by his brother to Israel Army Radio, a resident of the war-torn Syrian city of Aleppo asks Israel to help rescue him, while claiming Jewish ancestry. 

A 30-year old resident of the war-torn Syrian city of Aleppo seeks rescue from Israel, and claims Jewish ancestry.

“All my love and loyalty is to this religion (Judaism),” said the resident named Razan in an audio played on Israel Army Radio. “We ask the Israeli government not to abandon us, but to help us get to another country.”

“The government is a great government, and I don’t believe it will abandon a single Jew in the world,” Razan continued. “Every Jew knows that it won’t neglect them because it’s the best country in the world.”

Israel Army Radio obtained the recording supposedly from Razan’s younger brother Salah, who escaped to London through Turkey approximately eighteen months ago. He claims to have a Muslim father and maternal Jewish ancestry.

“When I was a child my mother told me I am a Jew and I understand that,” he said.  The Jewish Agency, which has previously helped Jews seek refuge in Israel from enemy states, has apparently not yet accepted the claims.

“I don’t know on what basis the Jewish Agency has determined that this story is suspicious,” Elizabeth Tzurkov, a researcher on Syrian affairs at the Forum for Regional Thinking, remarked to Israel Army Radio.

“A number of Syrians have approached me who are descendants of Jewish women, who converted to Islam or who did not convert, and inquired how they can move to Israel.”

The Syrian army recently took control of the city of Aleppo after a brutal six-month battle with rebel factions.

By: Jonathan Benedek, World Israel News