Keeping the Door Open

SchOenau Castle in Vienna became a symbol in the Arab-Israeli struggle last month when Austrian Chancellor Bruno Kreisky promised Arab terrorists to close it down to Soviet Jews in return for the release of three hostages (TIME, Oct. 15). But so far, Kreisky has taken no steps to impede the flow of Jewish emigrants to and through the transit camp; instead, he has increased security at the camp and assigned gendarmes and plainclothes policemen to guard trains carrying emigrants from the moment they cross into Austria.

While world attention has been diverted by the war in the Middle East, Austria's door has remained open. Nearly 4,000 Jews have been quietly processed through SchOenau, where they have remained until leaving for Israel on the El Al Airlines jets that depart Vienna's Schwechat Airport nightly. In the past two years, nearly 50,000 Jews have been processed through SchOenau and the rate shows no sign of declining.

Second Thoughts. The government's inaction pleases many Austrians. Although, in the days following the incident, many Austrians approved their Chancellor's deal with the terrorists, there have been signs of second thoughts. In recent local elections, the SchOenau incident has had, if anything, a negative impact on the fortunes of Kreisky's fellow Socialists. A petition declaring "sympathy and solidarity" for Israel, which was circulated in Vienna's busiest shopping district, garnered thousands of signatures, including those of leading politicians, intellectuals and Austria's former nobility.

Last week, in a seven-hour parliamentary debate that at times became a shouting match, Kreisky continued his confusing public stance by repeating his determination to close SchOenau. Later a government spokesman explained that the Chancellor anticipates doing "nothing that could hinder or in any way endanger the transit of Soviet-Jewish emigres through Austria. We hope we shall come up with a solution in the very near future." Most likely, Kreisky eventually will close SchOenau and then open another transit center, possibly in a well-guarded building at Schwechat Airport. This would have the double advantage of allowing Kreisky to keep his word to the terrorists and also shorten as much as possible the duration of the emigrants' stay in Austria.

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