Jewish Agency evacuates hundreds from Georgia war zone

After establishing contact with Jewish community in war-torn South Ossetia, Agency coordinates evacuation to capital city of Tbilisi. As death tolls crosses 2,000, West announces delegation of EU, US, NATO officials en route to broker ceasefire

Yael Branovsky 08.09.08, ynetnews.com



"I'm staying here till the last Jew is evacuated," a defiant Bashu Mansharov told Ynet on Saturday after the Jewish Agency evacuated hundreds of Jewish Georgians to safety as Georgian-Russian hostilities continue to rage in South Ossetia.

At least 200 Jewish residents living near the ongoing Georgian-Russian hostilities have been evacuated by the Jewish Agency to the capital city of Tbilisi. Most from Gori.

Mansharov said the majority of those who have not fled are adult men who chose to stay behind and protect their homes and property. "I sent my wife, my two children and my mother-in-law away, but I will stay here until the last Jew leaves," Mansharov said. "Things here are bad, there are many wounded and killed, but even though I am a doctor I'm not in the hospital right now, because we're trying to get all the Jews out. I gave all of them the number of the Jewish Agency, so they could reach them for help."

According to the Agency, there are currently 12,000 Jews in Georgia, most of whom live in the capital. It also said there are still four Jewish families in South Ossetia that no one has been able to contact as of yet. Georgia's communications network in the region has been badly damaged.