Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 31 January 2018

Israelis protesting pending deportation of African migrants

By ARON HELLER ment, which offers each
Associated Press about $3,500 and a plane
JERUSALEM (AP) — A gov- ticket to leave. Others have
ernment plan to deport found themselves locked
tens of thousands of Afri- up for lengthy periods in a
can migrants has sparked massive detention center
an unexpected backlash in the remote southern des-
from liberal Israelis and their ert, keeping them away
American Jewish allies who from their menial jobs in ho-
say Israel — established in tels and restaurants.
the wake of the Holocaust Still, thousands of migrants
— should never be turning are concentrated in neigh-
away those in need. borhoods in south Tel Aviv,
The showdown could come where ethnic food shops
to a head on April 1, when and phone card stalls line
the state plans to start ex- the streets, and the area
pelling Africans, some of has become known as “Lit-
whom have been in Israel tle Africa.” This has sparked
for years and have children tension with the working-
who know no other home, class Jewish residents who
to an uncertain fate. have been putting pressure
In recent weeks, groups of on the government to find
Israeli pilots, doctors, writ- In this Jan. 5, 2014 file photo, African migrants chant slogans during a protest in Rabin Square, in a solution.
ers, former ambassadors Tel Aviv, Israel. The government, domi-
and Holocaust survivors Associated Press nated by nationalist par-
have all appealed to Prime ment. “The authorities in Is- of processing refugee re- in which at least 27 were ties, has championed the
Minister Benjamin Netan- rael must make every effort quests. They note that of killed, and word began to cause of the residents.
yahu to halt the deporta- so that there is no person some 15,000 African refu- spread of safety and job After years of delays, the
tion plan, warning it was who arrived in Israel with gee status requests, only opportunities in Israel. Since Cabinet recently voted to
unethical and would cause a sword over his neck that 11 have been approved, then, Israel has been grap- begin shipping out the re-
grave damage to Israel’s did not receive refugee citing this as evidence that pling with how to balance maining 40,000 migrants,
self-described image as a status.” Israel is being disingenuous the country’s history as a even against their will, to
light upon the nations. Even such an inference has and not living up to interna- refuge for Jews fleeing per- an unnamed third African
Even Yad Vashem, Israel’s struck a raw nerve, with tional standards. secution against the fear country with which it has
official Holocaust memo- the government accusing “These are lies on the backs that the swelling numbers reached a secret agree-
rial, has weighed in. While some critics of cynically in- of the weakest people,” would threaten its Jewish ment. The country is widely
rejecting any comparisons voking comparisons to the said Dror Sadot, from the character. reported to be Rwanda,
between the plight of the plight of Jews in Nazi Ger- Hotline for Refugees and About 60,000 migrants though it denies it, and
migrants and the victims many. Migrants advocacy group. crossed Israel’s previously Netanyahu has cryptically
of the Holocaust, it said “This campaign is baseless “It’s unreasonable that only porous desert border with referred to it as what “the
the issue nonetheless is a and absurd,” Netanyahu in Israel these are ‘infiltra- Egypt before a barrier was U.N. considers it to be one
“national and internation- said. “Genuine refugees tors’ and everywhere else completed in 2012 along of the safest countries in Af-
al challenge that requires and their families will re- in the world they are refu- the 130-mile (220-kilometer) rica.” Justice Minister Ayelet
empathy, compassion and main in Israel. We have no gees.” frontier. Shaked said the vast major-
mercy.” obligation to allow illegal The Africans began head- Since then about 20,000 ity of Africans in Israel are
“The experience of the labor migrants who are not ing to Israel in 2005 after have left either voluntarily, young men seeking work,
Jewish people over gen- refugees to remain here.” neighboring Egypt violently via a United Nations pro- rather than refugees, and
erations heightens this ob- Advocates dispute that, quashed a demonstra- gram or with the encour- Israel had a right to dictate
ligation,” it said in a state- noting Israel’s poor record tion by Sudanese refugees agement of the govern- its immigration policy.q

Vatican chides Hong Kong

cardinal over China disclosures

By NICOLE WINFIELD fostered “confusion and the guard was the clear-
Associated Press controversy.” est evidence yet of the
VATICAN CITY (AP) — The The retired archbishop, Vatican’s effort to reach a
Vatican effectively re- Cardinal Joseph Zen, pub- deal with the state-backed
buked the retired arch- lished a Facebook post Chinese Patriotic Catholic
bishop of Hong Kong for Monday that revealed the Association to resolve the
suggesting that Pope Fran- behind-the-scenes drama status of China’s estimated
cis was out of the loop on over contentious bishop 12 million faithful and their
negotiations between the nominations in China. Zen’s preachers.
Holy See and China, saying extraordinary post said the The Chinese Catholic com-
Tuesday that the pope was Vatican had asked a legiti- munity is split between
“faithfully” informed about mate “underground” bish- those belonging to the
developments and fol- op to stand down in favor state-authorized churches
lowed the issue with care. of an excommunicated outside the pope’s author-
The Vatican said reports to one favored by Beijing for ity and those who are part In this Wednesday, March 6, 2013 file photo, Cardinal Joseph
Zen prays in St. Peter’s Basilica during a vespers celebration at
the contrary were “surpris- Shantou diocese. of the “underground” com- the Vatican.
ing and regrettable” and The proposed changing of munity loyal to Rome.q Associated Press