On the Ambivalence of Being a Safe Harbor
You're a young person in Darfur, say, perhaps your family has been murdered or dispersed, your life is hell, but you're young and enterprizing and willing to go great lengths to improve your lot - probably by foot. So what's the nearest western democracy that may offer a chance for a better life?
Israel.
Since 2005 there has been a steady trickle of refugees making their way across the deserts and borders to Israel, mostly from Dafur and war-torn Eritrea. Not all survive; but some do. These aren't Jews, of course.They're black Africans, mostly Muslims. Yet of all the countries around them and beyond, they expect Israel has the most to offer them. Strange, isn't it.
More than 17,000 of them have arrived so far. They don't fit into Israeli society in any recognizable way, yet when they started arriving there was a brief agonized public discussion, and the Israelis decided there was no way they could be turned away. Israel can't reject escapees of genocide or other severe persecution, not even if they're African Muslims. So they're allowed in, and turned over to various voluntary organizations who do their best, which is less than optimal. The government, meanwhile, treats them with what's best called callous indifference. They're shunted around, the bureacracy wishes they'd go away, but since they don't they're slowly gaining toeholds. This article about them concentrates on the bleaker aspects of their story, but you need to remember that it's stories like these which have been slowly creating openings for these people; anyway, I can't think of any western democracy that's in the position to lecture us when it comes to letting in uncalled for African refugees. So perhaps it would be better to read between the lines of the article to understand why ever more of these people keep on coming.
And remember the story the next time some malicious fool tells about how racist a country Israel is.
Israel.
Since 2005 there has been a steady trickle of refugees making their way across the deserts and borders to Israel, mostly from Dafur and war-torn Eritrea. Not all survive; but some do. These aren't Jews, of course.They're black Africans, mostly Muslims. Yet of all the countries around them and beyond, they expect Israel has the most to offer them. Strange, isn't it.
More than 17,000 of them have arrived so far. They don't fit into Israeli society in any recognizable way, yet when they started arriving there was a brief agonized public discussion, and the Israelis decided there was no way they could be turned away. Israel can't reject escapees of genocide or other severe persecution, not even if they're African Muslims. So they're allowed in, and turned over to various voluntary organizations who do their best, which is less than optimal. The government, meanwhile, treats them with what's best called callous indifference. They're shunted around, the bureacracy wishes they'd go away, but since they don't they're slowly gaining toeholds. This article about them concentrates on the bleaker aspects of their story, but you need to remember that it's stories like these which have been slowly creating openings for these people; anyway, I can't think of any western democracy that's in the position to lecture us when it comes to letting in uncalled for African refugees. So perhaps it would be better to read between the lines of the article to understand why ever more of these people keep on coming.
And remember the story the next time some malicious fool tells about how racist a country Israel is.
taken from :Yaacov Lozowick's Ruminations
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