Analysis: Alan Gross put Cuba’s Jews in awkward position

http://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Analysis-Alan-Gross-irresponsible-behavior-put-Cubas-Jewish-community-in-awkward-position-386616

The activities of American Jew Alan Gross, who was released from prison by Cuban authorities three weeks ago, put the Cuban Jewish community in a precarious position, jeopardizing its relations with the Castro regime.

Gross was arrested at Havana airport five years ago and was subsequently sentenced to 15 years in prison for “actions against the state.”

For years, Gross worked in the area of international aid and development as an employee for US companies abroad. As part of his job description, Gross often traveled overseas, including to Middle Eastern countries like Iraq. Just prior to his arrest, Gross worked as a subcontractor for USAID, helping to install communications equipment for various organizations.

This was also the purpose of his trip to Cuba – he was sent to the island nation as an independent subcontractor for an American company that was doing work on behalf of USAID.

In line with US policy at the time, his job was to undermine the communist regime in Cuba and to help nongovernmental organizations and dissidents of the government to evade detection by authorities who closely watch and listen to all communications on the island.