Protests Against Illegal Immigrants Turn Violent

[NewsGuy]

For several years, the Israeli government has turned a blind eye to an influx of illegal immigrants from Muslim countries in Africa coming into Israel through the border with Egypt. I've heard estimates that about 60,000-80,000 Black Muslims from countries like Sudan have entered Israel illegally.

Many of these illegal immigrants have settled into neighborhoods in South Tel-Aviv and have brought a crime wave of robberies, burglaries, and rape of Israeli teenagers.

The situation has become so dire with about 4 or 5 well-publicized rapes of Israeli teenage girls taking place in the past few weeks alone, that the citizens of Tel-Aviv have started to take a stand against the illegal immigrants and their crimes. The protests have reached an intense level last week and have turned violent.

Of course, the Israeli Leftists have accused the citizens protecting their families from the illegal immigrants crimes, of being "racists."

Is it really racist to defend one's family from being robbed and raped by Blacks illegal immigrants?

From news article:

Anti-immigration protest turns violent in Tel Aviv

An estimated 60,000 Africans have crossed illegally into Israel thorough its southern border with Egypt in recent years -- about 700 a week, according to Israeli police. Tensions between local residents of Tel Aviv's working class neighborhoods and illegal African immigrants have seen new highs this month following a couple of highly publicized cases in which Sudanese migrants were arrested on charges of sexual assault against young Israeli women.

Sigal Rosen, a spokeswoman for a hotline for migrant workers, says she can't understand the demonstrators' actions -- "but I certainly understand their hysteria."

"Objectively, they are right," Rosen said. "The load on the infrastructures is intolerable, and the city does nothing to improve their condition."

But Rosen blames a government that refuses to legalize their status and allow them to work freely across the country.

"The only way to prevent these immigrants from coming here is by physically shooting at them as they cross the border, as is done by the Egyptians," she said. "It is clear to me that Israel would not do such a thing and therefore nothing would prevent them from continuing to arrive. Even imprisonment is better than what they experience in their home country."

http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/24/world/...SS%3A+World%29

[Aliyah1995]

I agree that the residents of Tel-Aviv are right in expecting to be protected against crimes, whether committed by illegal migrants or anyone else. That being said, I am ashamed out how the violence against the migrants has gotten out of control and by some of the things that members of Knesset have said about the migrants. One MK called the migrants a "cancer" and Danny Danon (who I usually agree with on a lot of things) also said some racist things towards them.

I am not an expert on the politics on Sudan and the other countries they are coming here from. We may very well have good reason to send them back to their countries. However, as long as they are here, while I expect them to obey Israel's laws, I also expect that we treat them like humans. This means not pigeon holing all of them as "rapists", "thieves", etc. They should be entitled to medical care and their kids do deserve an education.

Should Israel secure her border against infiltrators? I don't think anybody would say not. Are some or even most of the migrants currently in Israel eventually going to be deported? Perhaps. However, I am ashamed by the violence against the migrants that took place in Tel-Aviv, the looting, and the blanket racism expressed by MK's and I am saying this as a right winger who is usually allergic to the "bleeding hearts".

That being said, I say the "limousine liberals" are also hypocrites, as I wonder how many of them would want these migrants in their neighborhoods? That is another story though.

[Madeline]

I agree that the residents of Tel-Aviv are right in expecting to be protected against crimes, whether committed by illegal migrants or anyone else. That being said, I am ashamed out how the violence against the migrants has gotten out of control and by some of the things that members of Knesset have said about the migrants. One MK called the migrants a "cancer" and Danny Danon (who I usually agree with on a lot of things) also said some racist things towards them.

I am not an expert on the politics on Sudan and the other countries they are coming here from. We may very well have good reason to send them back to their countries. However, as long as they are here, while I expect them to obey Israel's laws, I also expect that we treat them like humans. This means not pigeon holing all of them as "rapists", "thieves", etc. They should be entitled to medical care and their kids do deserve an education.

Should Israel secure her border against infiltrators? I don't think anybody would say not. Are some or even most of the migrants currently in Israel eventually going to be deported? Perhaps. However, I am ashamed by the violence against the migrants that took place in Tel-Aviv, the looting, and the blanket racism expressed by MK's and I am saying this as a right winger who is usually allergic to the "bleeding hearts".

That being said, I say the "limousine liberals" are also hypocrites, as I wonder how many of them would want these migrants in their neighborhoods? That is another story though.

Absolutely correct.

[NewsGuy]

Aliyah, MK Miri Regev went to great lengths to explain her comment about "cancer," and I'm not aware of Danon saying anything racist. In any event, though, it's really not racist to protest against people who break the law by entering a country illegally. People who break the law are, by definition, criminals, regardless of the color of their skin.

Interesting that you would want the Israeli taxpayer to provide healthcare and education to illegal immigrants. I think it's a big mistake to reward criminals for their crimes at the expense of citizens who follow the law. Let me relay a cautionary tale, as someone who lives in the State of California where we provide free education, food, housing, social services, infrastructure, etc., to more illegal immigrants than the entire population of the State of Israel.

The result is that our infrastructure is crumbling and we don't have the funds to repair roads and other infrastructure. Our taxes have been raised so many times that many working Americans can barely feed their families. Most of our public schools here in California are so full of drugs and violence that typical families can;t send their kids to those schools and are forced to pay a fortune to send them to very costly private schools. And those few public schools that are still usable, have recently decided that they can't afford to stay open 5 days a week. Instead, California public schools close at 12:30 one day a week. This not only harms the children's education, but forces families to provide day care for their children, so many mothers can't even hold full-time jobs.

Not to mention local crime waves, gangs, and neighborhoods being destroyed...

Of course, anyone in California who complains about illegal aliens is automatically branded a "racist." Sound familiar?

I hope that the Israeli government takes its illegal immigration problem very seriously and nips the problem in the bud so Israel does't wind up with the same problems as California.

[Aliyah1995]

NewsGuy,

I want to make some things clear:

1) Israel, America, and any other sovereign country have a right to secure their borders against illegal immigrants.

2) I REJECT the comparison between the refugees from Africa to Israel and the Jewish refugees fleeing the Nazis.

3) I do NOT believe that all or even most of the migrants in Israel will be able to stay. They should be checked out on a case by case basis and whoever's life is not in danger if they were to be sent back to their countries should be sent back.

That being said, one cannot deny that Miri Regev (even if she explained her "cancer" remark after the fact) and other MK's incited the South Tel-Aviv residents against the migrants/refugees that resulted in violence. Demonstrate and protest all you want, but the blanket violence against the migrants (including smashing cars, looting stores, pushing women to the ground) is a stain on Am Yisrael and Medinat Yisrael.

I do not want the Israeli taxpayer to pay for these illegal immigrants services forever. Whoever will be sent back will be sent back and no longer will be on the Israeli taxpayers bill when they are. Whoever stays will become either become a citizen or get an extended visa for X amount of years and be a legal foreign worker. However, until Israel decides to deport an illegal immigrant, he/she still has basic rights (ESPECIALLY children!!!!).

I haven't lived in America for 17.5 years now, so I am not as up on the situation with illegal immigrants as I am on the situation here. America, of course, has a right to seal her borders and I do not understand why she is failing to do so. I also don't understand how America decides who will stay and who will be deported. That is probably something you can explain to me. Acknowledging that something needs to be done about illegal immigrants is NOT "racist". Paint-brushing all of them as "rapists", "thieves", etc. is. Certainly actively participating in random violence against them is.

I also hope Israel and America nip the problems with illegal immigration in the bud. This is not exclusive of remembering that they are humans too.

[NewsGuy]

Sure, the illegal invaders should always be treated as humans, which is exactly how these were treated by Israel so far. The rioters who are violent need to be stopped and no one can say that the majority of the illegals are robbers or rapists. But they are all criminals by definition, because they committed the act of crossing the Israeli border illegally.

On the other hand, there's a huge difference between treating people as "humans," and providing social services for free. There's also a big difference between taking action against criminals and it being considered racism.

It seems that no matter in which country it takes place, if the criminal happens to be black, then any law enforcement is automatically seen as racist. I disagree. All crimes need to be dealt with regardless of the color of the criminal. So if there are white, black, green or purple illegal immigrants, they need to be deported equally without any prejudice. Again, too bad that any action against blacks is seen as racist. (not by you Aliyah, but by most of the general public).

The solution is for the Israeli government to take the actions it's responsible for taking. Personally, I doubt that will happen, because of worrying about Israel's international image.

BTW - an interesting statistic was just released, which is that the numbers of illegal Muslim immigrants crossing into Israel has more than tripled in the month of May. Wow!

And... It seems that the Palestinians are not so enthused about absorbing the illegals either. I'm going to guess that the Palestinians won't be accused of racism when they boot out their illegal aliens. Sorry to be so cynical...

[NewsGuy]

Just a quick update on this topic. I wonder when the enforcement will start:

From news article:

Netanyahu added that Yishai would attend to the removal of illegal migrants and that Aharonovitch, aided by a detachment of Border Police, would deal with the arrest of migrant criminals in south Tel Aviv.

Later on Thursday the Immigration and Borders Authority announced that the 1,500 South Sudanese residing in Israel must leave the country within a week. Any who do within seven days will receive a government-funded ticket and monetary grant to facilitate their return.

Following a Jerusalem District Court ruling Thursday morning lifting a ban on the deportation of South Sudanese migrants, the authority said nothing bars the enforcement of the prohibition against employing or housing Sudanese migrants.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/netanya...grant-problem/