The past two weeks have brought disturbing news from Israel. No, it has nothing to do with existential threats to the Jewish state from the likes of Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah, nor does it relate to the usual political hot-button topics of settlements and peace processes. It is a conflict self-contained within uncontested boundaries and pertaining to Israelis, and only Israelis. And as the Jews of Israel terrorize and assault the African migrants living among them -- and as the Israeli government sets about rounding up these migrants for shipment back to their homelands -- in a display that is nothing short of disturbing, the world is strangely silent.
Sure, Human Rights Watch and left-leaning political groups have admonished Israel, but this isn't a right-left story, or at least it shouldn't be. Arresting migrants on the streets, sticking them in hastily built detention centres while organizing their mass export to likely unfortunate circumstances in their countries of origin is just plain wrong. If anything like that were to happen here in Canada I'd like to think a lot of us would have a problem with it.
The reticence to criticize Israel for these actions, in my estimation, is a result of a miscalculated analogy -- that the case of the African migrants is similar to that of the Palestinians. To be fair, on the surface some connection appears to be there -- specifically relating to the demographic challenge of maintaining a Jewish-run state. Left unchecked, the 60,000-plus Africans now living in Israel will grow and grow. (One of the more awful images of this story involves migrants' children being pulled out of school by authorities. These kids are far less likely to get a decent education once returned to South Sudan or Eritrea.) Over time, the fear is, they will gain the ability to democratically vote away Israel's Jewish essence.
This is uncomfortably close to the right-of-return scenario Israel has repeatedly rejected when it comes to the Palestinians. And some would offer the slippery slope argument: that is, if you're willing to let African migrants stay, thereby accepting that Israel's core Jewishness may be eventually wiped out via democratic means, why not let in the Palestinians, too. What's the difference?
The difference is that the African migrants lack -- in a good way -- a key attribute of the various Palestinian factions claiming their right to return to land and homes they once inhabited within Israel's borders: they have expressed no intention of destroying Israel.
Indeed, on their way to Israel most if not all of the migrants travelled through Egypt, where cultural similarities would, one assumes, have offered a great deal of comfort. By passing on Egypt they are implicitly celebrating Israel. Israel offers them foundational humanity -- a democracy and religious freedom, not to mention a relatively strong economy with jobs to be had -- they did not have in their lands of origin or would have been able to enjoy in Egypt. Religion, by comparison, appears to be far less important to them.
In short, the migrants pose no immediate threat to the Jews of Israel -- and even if the prospect of a demographic issue cannot be dismissed outright, it is a matter for the future, whereas the corresponding Palestinian demographic problem poses immediate difficulties.
There is another reason why Israel's treatment of the African migrants is troubling: The Jewish state has a proud history of welcoming immigrants, even seeking them out and rescuing them from persecution and poverty. Israel's heroic operations in the Soviet Union and Ethiopia are undoubtedly among the country's proudest moments. The xenophobia and violence being directed toward the African migrants tarnishes Israel's grand reputation of humanitarianism.
You can't blame Israelis for being on edge -- in the Middle East's only democracy, a country surrounded by enemies who appear to subsist mainly on their hatred for Israel and Jews, there is always something to worry about.
But the case of the African migrants shouldn't be heaped onto the pile of fear. These people are just looking for a second chance, an opportunity to leave behind misery, repression and poverty and build a happy, healthy life for themselves and their families among Israelis. Of all people, Israel's Jews should be able to relate to that.
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At no time do they think to solve the issues that cause people to need to seek refuge.
I'm so confused...
There are several levels to the African migrant situation. But if they are not Jewish, they can't stay. If they are, like the Ethiopians, they will be tolerated and they will get to do the more menial jobs. ANd that is not so bad, if your home country is famine and war-stricken.
Refugees are called "work infiltrators" and things I can't quote here. They are being abused by the authorities and by some ordinary ISraelis who are fearful of anyone from outside. So it goes.
(chuckle)
2. i'm going to finish one of your sentences differently: "The difference is that the African migrants lack -- in a good way -- a key attribute of the various Palestinian factions claiming their right to return to land and homes they once inhabited within Israel's borders: their grandparents were not born there and later had to flee so they have no rightful claim to the land ."
3. Israel rescues immigrants? It's a safe-haven for Jews. It's hard to immigrate to Israel if you are not a Jew. As for Ethiopians, they only started being accepted as Jews after the first Intifida, when new security measures made working in Israel proper much harder for Palestinians from the OTs. Deprived of a cheap labour pool, Israel opened its borders to Ethiopian Jews, whom it refused to recognise for so long, but still today treats them as second-class citizens.
Reconciliation takes time. BUt, acknowledgement has to come first. Israel shows no signs of that.
It is not about religion--that is simply the excuse to slowly take more land, encircle,occupy and block the others from flourishing, all the while arguing that the ordinary rules do not apply ignoring the Declaration of Human RIghts.
Israel is the new South Africa.
YONI you of all people should know the world is not silent it is gagged.
Jewish tycoons collectively control ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, MTV, CTV, ITV, VTV, Can West Global, Universal Studios, Disney, Turner Broadcasting, Verizon The New Yorker, The New Republic, The National , etc,etc,etc.
There is no such thing as criticizm of Israel in main stream media.
Mr. Goldstein, please find me one news article or editorial, just one, condemning the land of the Arab Spring for this.
This is just racism, plain and simple.... Though, there's an element of that with the Palestinian so-called "demographic issue" as well.
It went unnoticed.
I do believe that ordinary Israelis and ordinary Palestinians want to and deserve to live in peace, without fear, in the presence of justice and with the capabilities for flourishing. In this, though, Israel holds all the cards militarily, economically, technologically. THe Palestinian administrations are not helpful either.
-- David Ben Gurion, quoted on pp 91-2 of Chomsky's Fateful Triangle, which appears in Simha Flapan's "Zionism and the Palestinians pp 141-2 citing a 1938 speech.
I did not know they were right before Yoni. This is not only happening to immigrants there, by mistake or premeditation, it's also happening to tourist, canadians too by the way...... Anything that does not looks like a jewish there is bitterly discriminated... I don't know what to say about this. Today there are close to 6K palestinians in Israeli jails for no reason... Isn't that outrageous ? Their lack of moral is evident.