Three Molotov Cocktails were thrown, early this morning, in South Tel Aviv. If Jews were involved, they were not the targets, but the perpetrators. The victims were African refugees, fleeing war and genocide – primarily from Sudan, but also from Eritrea.
Israel has a difficult and tenuous relationship with their ever-growing African refugee community. They are one of the few countries in the region willing to give refuge, if not asylum, to these displaced people. What was initially a small trickle of people working their way up from Egypt, across the Sinai Peninsula and into Israel, has become thousands annually. Israel is ill-equipped to deal with such a large and complicated population within its borders.
In 2008, there were only 4000 such refugees in Israel. In four years, that number has grown many times. Today, there are approximately 2000 of these asylum seekers sitting in Israeli prisons. They are not there for additional crimes committed, most were just scooped up at the border and are awaiting placement or solutions from above. Another 13,000 are currently living in Tel Aviv, Eilat and Arad. Israel has also helped to place them on kibbutzim and moshavim throughout the country. Those that live in Tel Aviv, live primarily in the southern slums of the city.
Israelis have had mixed reactions to this growing population. There have been demonstrations in support of, and against, the refugees. Unfortunately, this morning’s brutality was not the first time that violence was enacted against this vulnerable population. Their homes have been attacked in the past and they have been beaten in the streets.
Yisrael Beiteinu, the political party of Avigdor Lierberman, has been particularly nasty in its reactions to the refugees. They have pushed for laws that would not only make seeking refuge a crime, but could make even aiding someone seeking refuge punishable with prison time.
Israel is a small country with a very complicated demographic situation. Nobody can believe that it can simply open its doors to all those in need, no questions asked. Almost all of these people are crossing into Israel through Egypt. Yet Egypt, which shares a language and religion with many of these refugees, has served as a terrible example for how to treat “the stranger amongst us.” Along with according them little to no basic human rights, they have gone so far as to shot them, lethally, at their borders. They have done little to help them in their plight.
Israel on the other hand, is trying to help solve a problem that may very well have no solution. They have opened their doors to these refugees, even if many of those doors lead directly to prison (sadly, prison in Israel is a step up from what most of these people are fleeing). They have tried, and continue to try, to find them homes and jobs and schools for their children. This work has been happening both through the government and through local NGOs, trying to help make better lives for these displaced people.
Not all Israelis are happy with this, and that is okay. There are many Americans working hard (through both legal channels and through vigilant actions) to keep Mexicans and migrants from other Latin American countries from crossing our borders. The question is not of intolerance, rather process. If Israelis are uncomfortable offering refuge to those fleeing genocide, they have that right (although they probably cede the moral high ground the next time they say “Never Again” on Yom HaShoah). And they can act on that right in many ways. Should they so choose, they can vote for parties with whom they agree, they can demonstrate in the streets, they can work to change laws as well as the hearts and minds of their communities. But violence cannot be an option. For Jews, the historical reasons should be too numerous to mention.
Follow me on twitter @jlemonsk
