Israel: Sudanese Refugees – like Darfur, as Auschwitz
Over the past several months, a growing number of Sudanese refugees have been crossing into Israeli territory through the Egyptian desert. The Israeli government has reacted by placing many in detention camps, and is currently considering their fate. Israeli bloggers are questioning their government's actions, comparing the situation to that of the mid-1930's, when the world did not accept Jewish refugees fleeing from the Nazi regime. Many claim that a country like Israel, which was created on the virtue – ‘remember and never forget‘, is already forgetting the apathy its’ founding fathers faced in the not so distant past.
Refugees have been fleeing from the horrors of the genocide and ethnic cleansing taking place in the Darfur region of Sudan. A growing number make their way into Israel in hope that the democratic state will be more forgiving than its Egyptian neighbor, where refugees are shot upon approaching the border. However, they cross the border to find that the same country which came to life in the shadow of its’ own people's genocide, is restricting refugees from entering, and keeping those who succeeded far from sight in detention camps. IDF forces are planning not to allow any more refugees from crossing the border into Israel, claiming that their constant flow may flood the country. This decision conflicts directly with the values and beliefs from which this young country eloped, and places Israel in the same coalition as all the countries who did not accept Jewish refugees who fled antisematic Europe in the 1930s.
Many bloggers have been asking the government to reflect back at its not so distant past, and realize that its actions are similar to what was presented to their Jewish ancestors.
In her blog post on, kipa.co.il , Mor Goldkleng writes:
מדינת ישראל היא מדינת היהודים. היא צריכה להראות את הפנים היהודיות שלה… דווקא אנחנו, צריכים להראות, לתת דוגמא, לקבל ולשלב את הפליטים בתוכנו. בואו לא נהיה קפיטליסטים ונחשוב רק במונחים של רווח והפסד. בואו נחשוב אנושיות.לפני כחודש הייתה הפגנה מול הקיריה. בהפגנה הדליקו 300 נרות כהזדהות עם 300 הפליטים שהגיעו לארץ ואחיהם הקורבנות. בואו אנחנו נדליק את הנר הגדול הזה, הזוהר של החמלה והרחמים.
לשואת העם שלי העולם שתק. לסבתא שלי היו אדישים. אני לא מוכנה להיות אדישה לאחרים. “לא תעמוד על דם רעך”. זהו ציווי מוסרי חשוב ביותר שתורתנו הורתה לנו.
Israel is the State of the Jewish people. It should show its Jewish face… It is especially critical for us to set an example, accept and integrate the refugees within us. Let us not be capitalistic and only think in terms of monetary gain and loss. Let us think of humanity. A month ago there was a rally in front of the Kirya in Tel Aviv. In the rally, 300 candles were lit to empathize with the 300 Sudanese refugees in Israel. Let us light this greater candle, that of compassion and mercy. During the genocide of my people the world was silent. My grandmother received apathy. I am not willing to be apathetic to others. “Thou shall not stand idly by the blood of your fellow” – (Leviticus 19:16) That is an extremely important ethical duty, passed to us through the bible (and also a state law in Israel).
The following excerpt was taken from a letter addressed to Knesset leaders, published in the blacklabor blog:
למדינת ישראל יש משאבים ויכולת לתת מקלט מדיני והומאני לפליטים. יותר מזה – למדינת ישראל יש מחויבות היסטורית ומוסרית לפתוח את שעריה בפני כל פליט ונרדף, ללא הבדל דת, מין וגזע.מנהיגי ישראל מצהירים בכל הזדמנות על ייחודנו כמדינת היהודים. זו ההזדמנות שלכם להפוך מילים למעשה. עתה עלינו ללמוד מיהודי ארה”ב המובילים בארצם את המאבק להתערבות בינלאומית בנעשה בסודאן, ומשתתפים באופן פעיל (ולא רק בתרומת כספים להרגעת המצפון) בתוכניות הסיוע.
The State of Israel is capable of giving shelter and providing political-humanitarian asylum to those refugees who have already crossed into its territory. Above all, Israel has a historical and moral commitment to open its gates towards any refugee, regardless of religious, sexual or racial differences. Our leaders frequently mention the unique character of this country of the Jews. This is your opportunity to turn words into actions. We need to learn from Jewish organizations in the United States, who are actively leading the struggle for international action in Sudan.
dovblog describes a Knesset discussion by Dov Hanin which took place at the end of May, on this topic:
אנחנו מדברים על בין 450 ל-500 אזרחים סודנים שנמצאים בישראל היום ומבקשים מקלט בה. אבל לפי סעיף 6 של נוהל הסדרת הטיפול במבקשי מקלט, אותם פליטים מנועים מלקבל אשרות שהייה או להיקלט בישראל, מכיוון שברמה הפורמלית הם נתינים של מדינת אויב.
המצב הזה עומד בסתירה מוחלטת לאמנה בדבר מעמדם של הפליטים משנת 1951, אותה אמנה שבה האו”ם הניח את אבני הבסיס למערכת שלמה של מנגנונים בין-לאומיים שנועדו להגן על הפליטים. מדינת ישראל נטלה חלק מהותי בניסוח האמנה הזאת ובחיזוק ההגנות הנתונות לפליטים, וזה, כמובן, מובן לכולנו נוכח העובדה שהאמנה אושרה כמה שנים אחרי מלחמת העולם השנייה, שבה בני עמנו, היהודים, היו פליטים, ורבים מהם ערב מלחמת העולם השנייה התדפקו על דלתות סגורות של מדינות שלא היו מוכנות לקלוט אותם.
אגב, מדינת ישראל גם אשררה את האמנה הזאת בשנת 1954, ולכן ההתחייבויות של הממשלה בתחום הזה הן, לדעתנו, גם התחייבויות משפטיות, ולא רק התחייבויות מוסריות.
בכל זאת, מה קורה בשטח? חלק גדול מהפליטים שנמצאים בישראל, נמצאים במעצר. אנחנו מדברים על כ-150 פליטים שנמצאים במעצר בבתי-כלא שונים. מתוך 450 הפליטים, אגב, 80 הם ילדים וכ-110 הן נשים. הדרישות שלנו מהממשלה בתחום הזה הן שממשלת ישראל, ראשית, תבדוק בדיקה עניינית כל בקשה של מבקש מקלט ותחליט החלטה עניינית על סמך פרטי הבקשה בדבר זכאותו של האדם להגנה כפליט. אנחנו דורשים מהממשלה לשחרר ממעצר את כל הפליטים מדרפור שנמצאים בישראל. לא הגיוני, לא סביר, לא צודק ולא מוסרי להחזיק במעצר פליטים שברחו מרצח עם ומטבח כמו שמתנהל בדרפור.
There are currently between 450 to 500 Sudanese citizens who are seeking asylum in Israel. According to article 6 of the asylum seekers amendment, these refugees are prevented from receiving an approval to stay in Israel because they belong to an enemy country. This situation contradicts the basic agreement on refugee status from 1951, the same agreement which served as the basis the UN worldwide amendment to protect refugee status worldwide. The State of Israel took an essential role in the creation of this agreement in 1954, therefore I think the obligation of our government is not only a moral one, but also legal.
What is happening in reality? Out of the 450 refugees in Israel, around 150 have been placed in detention. 80 of them are children and 110 are women. We request that the Israeli government be accurate in examining every request of political asylum, and consider accepting them according to their entitlement for protection as refugees. We ask the government to release all those held in detention. It is not reasonable, nor ethical to hold these refugees, who escaped from the horrors or Darfur.
From a Yellow Plebean's Hebrew blog:
בשנת 1937 הגיעה סבתא שלי לארה”ב. היא הייתה ילדה קטנה, והאחרונה מהמשפחה שלה שהצליחה לצאת מאירופה. אחותה הגדולה, לה היו שישה ילדים, לא השיגה וויזה ונשארה בצ`כוסלובקיה. כולם נספו בשואה. אתם מבינים, המשפחה שלי דווקא הבינה מה קורה וניסתה לברוח, אבל הקצב של הוויזות היה איטי מדי. העולם היה נורא טרוד בבעיות אחרות, ופליטים שיציפו מדינות שיש להן בעיות משלהם ועניים משלהם נראו כמו מטרד מיותר. ועוד שחורים. אה, סליחה, יהודים. אז גירשו אותם בחזרה, ומנעו מהם להכנס למדינות אחרות, ולמעט כמה צדיקים, העולם פשוט התעלם.
כן, אני מדבר עכשיו על שואה של אחרים. על פליטים מדארפור, שבורחים מהמדינה שלהם, חוצים את מדבריות מצרים ומנסים להגיע למדינה שמחויבת לסטנדרטים בינלאומיים. מדינה שאסור לה לגרש פליטים שבורחים מרצח עם.
In 1937 my grandmother arrived to the United States. She was a little girl, the last of her family who managed to escape Europe. Her bigger sister, who had six children, did not receive a visa, and stayed in Czechoslovakia. All those who stayed were wiped out during the holocaust. You understand, my family realized what is happening and tried to escape. But the visa process was too slow. The world was busy with other problems, and refugees that would flood countries who had enough problems of their own, seemed like an unnecessary annoyance. As they were not allowed to enter any other country, they were sent back. And apart for some saints, the world simply ignored. Now I am talking about other people's holocaust. Refugees from Darfur who flee from their land, cross the Egyptian desert and try to reach a country committed to international standards. A country which should not allow to banish refugees fleeing from a genocide.
בשיעורי אזרחות מלמדים על זכותנו המוסרית למדינה ועל איך השואה הייתה נמנעת לו הייתה לנו מדינה בשנות ה-30 של המאה הקודמת. אני חושב שזה נכון, הנאצים רצו להפטר מהיהודים בהתחלה, ולו הייתה מדינת ישראל היא בטח הייתה קולטת את הקרובים שלנו. אבל זה כנראה נכון רק לקרובים שלנו. בסופו של דבר גם אנחנו עוצמים עין לבעיות של אחרים. חייבים לשנות את זה, לא תיאורטית פעם, אלא עכשיו, כשביבשת השכנה מתחולל רצח עם ומעט פליטים מגיעים גם אלינו.
אני לא יודע איך, אני מנסה את הדרך הפשוטה של לדבר על זה, להציע לאחרים לדבר על זה, לתמוך בפעילות ציבורית, כשתקום. אני באמת לא יודע מה יכול אזרח לעשות כאן כשהמדינה שלו מתנכרת לחובה. אבל דבר אחד ברור: לו “העם” היה מרגיש אחרת, לו האזרחים היו מתקוממים, גם אולמרט היה מבין שצריך לטפל בזה אחרת. הלוואי.
In school we were taught that we have a moral right for a country of our own, and that the holocaust could have been prevented if we had a country of our own in the 1930s. I think that is true. The Nazis wanted to get rid of the Jews from the beginning. Had the state of Israel been formed earlier, it probably would have received our fleeing ancestors. But that is true only for our ancestors. At the end of the day, even we close our eyes to other people's problems. This must change. Not in the theoretical future, but now, when a genocide is taking place in our neighboring continent, and a small amount of refugees are reaching our territory. I don't know how. I am trying the simple way of talking about it, offering others to join in the conversation, and supporting some form of future public activism. I really don't know what a single citizen can actually do here when his country ignores its duty. But one thing is clear: if the people felt differently, or if citizens protest, even Olmert would realize that we need to take care of this situation differently.
I wish.
However, there has been a wide spectrum of reactions from different bodies and groups in Israel. Kibbutzes around the country have been accepting Sudanese refugees. So far, 7 kibbutzes have already accepted 60 refugees, while 12 more kibbutzes have expressed their interest in helping integrate refugees within their communities. Mishtara.org have been involved with a number of events aimed at raising public awareness to this growing problem in Israel.
אנחנו שואלים את אזרחי ישראל ואת נבחריה, האם הפכנו גסי לב עד כדי כך ? האם כל יכולתנו, כוחנו וגאוותנו הן בבניית מערכות גירוש ? האם אין באמת אלטרנטיבות אחרות ? לנו התשובות ברורות, ישנן אלטרנטיבות. נציגי מדינת ישראל טוענים כי הם דואגים לעתידה של מדינת ישראל, אנחנו מסכימים איתם לחלוטין. אנחנו דואגים לעתידה של המדינה לא פחות מהם. מה יהיה עתידה של מדינת ישראל אם היא מתנערת כליל מאחריותה המוסרית? כיצד מדינת ישראל יכולה להצדיק את החלטתה לא לקלוט פליטים שכל ‘פשעם’ הוא רצונם לחיות ?
ביום ראשון 15.7, נצטרף לפליטים שנמצאים בגן הוורדים בירושלים, ונעמוד איתם. נעמוד כדי להזכיר את מה שרבים מבקשים להשכיח. נעמוד כדי לאפשר לתקווה להתקיים.
אנחנו קוראים לאזרחי המדינה להראות שהאלטרנטיבה קיימת. שאנו מסוגלים וצריכים לעזור לפליטים המגיעים לארץ.
We ask the citizens of Israel if we've become so coarse-hearted? Is our ability, power or pride in building systems of banishment? Is there no other alternatives? For us, the answers are clear – there are alternatives. Israeli representatives state that they worry for the future of the state of Israel. We agree with them completely. We also worry for the future of this country. What will the future of Israel look like if it shakes off its’ moral responsibility? How can Israel justify its decision not to accept refugees who's sole ‘crime’ is having a will to live?
On Sunday, July 15th, we will join refugees in Gan Havradim, Jerusalem, and we will stand with them. We will stand remind what most ask to forget. We will stand in order to allow for hope to exist. We ask citizens of the country to show that an alternative exists. That we can and must help refugees who come to our country.
The following images were taken by Oren Ziv at the rally in Jerusalem earlier this month:
More can be seen on the following page.
20 comments
Nobody
What nonsense. You know nothing about how the Israelis treat well the Sudanese. Check before catch.
This is a response to Nobody:
I live in Beer Sheva. I have been volunteering with 7 refugees on Kibbutz Sde Boker since last March. I have also been very involved in helping students at Ben Gurion University organize awareness campaigns as well as helping the refugees who were dropped off onto the streets by the IDF. Therefore, I have spoken to many refugees and been witness to their personal stories. You obviously have no idea what you are talking about.
1) Darfurians are not safe in Khartuom. Sudanese refugees who are not from Darfur are not safe in Khartuom. That is why they are refugees. Many of them have actual UN papers saying that they are official refugees; others had their papers taken from them by Egyptian authorities who are racist and indiscriminately detain people who are black Africans and not Arab. If you spoke to someone who ran across a border with a wife and three small children under the age of 10, with Egyptians firing at them, not knowing what would happen after he crossed the border, you’d realize he didn’t do it for economic gain but out of desperation. He thought he and his family would be killed in Egypt or sent back to Sudan, which would have the same result.
2) to call the conflict in Darfur simply an ethic conflict is wrong. It is genocide. The Sudanese government has sent Janjaweed Milita groups that have burned down entire villages, raped and massacred hundreds of thousands of people, and displaced hundreds of thousands more. A child is a child is a child. A person is a person is a person. The overwhelming majority of Darfurians are victims of genocide. They did not ask to be slaughtered nor did they threaten to do the same to others. Speak to someone from Darfur. See the pain in his face when he speaks about what it is like to watch his family being slaughtered. Maybe then, you would have a sense of humanity.
I’ve asked plenty of refugees where they want to live if given a choice. Most said that they wanted to go back to Sudan. They miss their family (if they have living family) and they miss their home. However, they cannot go back because they will be killed. That is why they left. So don’t talk as if you know the experiences or motives of the refugees. They’ve been through hell and back and are asking for asylum from a nation that is all too familiar with the words persecution, genocide, and exile. The least Israel could do is listen to them and give them a judicial review. If they are refugees with no home, Israel cannot send them back to a country that may very well kill them. If Israel does, then we as Jews and Israelis have learned nothing. But, if we help them, we have learned everything.
I also have a blog that I’ve been keeping since March about experiences with Sudanese refugees. I haven’t updated for a couple of months because I am in Canada visiting my family…
http://www.hillel.dreamhosters.com/blog/?cat=7
On August 3rd the Knesset voted against banishing the refugees. This vote was passed by a majority of 63. But over the past weekend, 50 refugees were sent back to Egypt. So those who came early can stay, whereas the refugees trying to enter Israel now (around 50 per day) are sent back.
AP: “Israel said Sunday it will no longer allow refugees from Darfur to stay after they sneak across the border from Egypt, drawing criticism from those who say the Jewish state is morally obliged to offer sanctuary to people fleeing mass murder.
Israel has been grappling for months over how to deal with the swelling numbers of Africans, including some from Darfur, who have been crossing the porous desert border.
The number of migrants has shot up to as many as 50 a day, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, apparently as word of job opportunities in Israel has spread. The rise has led to concerns that the country could face a flood of African refugees if it doesn’t take a harsher stand on asylum seekers.
But Israel has not turned back refugees from Darfur until now, and last month Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said a limited number would even be allowed to remain in Israel.
On Sunday, a government spokesman said some 500 Darfurians already in Israel would be allowed to stay, but all new asylum seekers would be sent back to Egypt, with no exception.”
Just wanted to refer you guys to this article. It interviews some refugees that fled to Israel. http://www.jewishexponent.com/article/13790/
Something to keep in mind is that many of the refugees who crossed the border into Israel are not from Darfur, but other African countries. According to the article, only 10-12% of the migrants are from Darfur.
One of the bloggers on this site said Israel was placing these refugees in “detention camps” where they can’t be seen. If you’ve looked at a map in the last 30 some years, you’ll see that Israel is pretty small. To be taking in 50 refugees / day, the Jewish Agency and Israeli government will put them where there’s space, in the southern desert region.
According to Emanuel, a 16-year-old refugee from Darfur living in Israel, he stays in an aliyah village outside of Sderot. Emanuel gets a bed, three meals a day, and goes to swimming pools, etc. These are luxuries some poor Israelis don’t even have. That hardly sounds like a detention camp.
1) Darfurians are not safe in Khartuom. Sudanese refugees who are not from Darfur are not safe in Khartuom. That is why they are refugees. Many of them have actual UN papers saying that they are official refugees; others had their papers taken from them by Egyptian authorities who are racist and indiscriminately detain people who are black Africans and not Arab. If you spoke to someone who ran across a border with a wife and three small children under the age of 10, with Egyptians firing at them, not knowing what would happen after he crossed the border, you’d realize he didn’t do it for economic gain but out of desperation. He thought he and his family would be killed in Egypt or sent back to Sudan, which would have the same result.
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jeniffer
you simply shock me with your naivety … what kind of stories do you expect from somebody who is looking for asylum ??? that this person tell you that he is safe in khartoom and came to israel just because he heard that salaries in israel are better ???
being a refugee has become a culture in our days … and story telling has become a part of this culture …. i also met people from the third world looking for asylum in europe… 99% of their stories are fake …
you dont learn anything by helping refugees from muslim countries … the rate of infiltration will soon be in thousands …and dont be surprised to see these people in two-three years on al-jazeera accusing israelis of racism and discrimination … it’s extremely difficult to integrate african refugees … these people will fail to integrate and will blame us in their failure … given that they are muslims dont be surprised to see them later joining our islamic movement or some other hostile israeli arab movement … the story telling will end the very moment these people know that they are not going to be deported
to call the conflict in Darfur simply an ethic conflict is wrong. It is genocide. The Sudanese government has sent Janjaweed Milita groups that have burned down entire villages, raped and massacred hundreds of thousands of people, and displaced hundreds of thousands more. A child is a child is a child. A person is a person is a person. The overwhelming majority of Darfurians are victims of genocide. They did not ask to be slaughtered nor did they threaten to do the same to others.
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the sudanese government has sent the janjaweed only after it has lost the war !!! when the sudanese army was routed by the darfurians the governemnt turned to the local arab militias … these people may look miserable but you should better not to ask the arabs what was going on when the arabs were on the receiving end of this rebellion
If they are refugees with no home, Israel cannot send them back to a country that may very well kill them. If Israel does, then we as Jews and Israelis have learned nothing. But, if we help them, we have learned everything.
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you see jeniffer .. technically speaking we dont have to talk so much about these refugees .. because there are other considerations .. one of them is that we have only one country .. another one we dont have …
and this country is a pariah state shunned by the west and at war with this bloody muslim civilization …
i am thrilled to hear that you can go to canada to see your family .. but many of us who live here have no second passport .. many of us dont know where to go if something happens to this country like for example if israel loses its jewish majority .. and surprisingly i have very little trust in these arabs/muslims to stay here if anything like this happens ..
i dont know what you have learned but my holocaust lesson was a simple one and it’s that if you dont have a second passport other people can simply wipe you out of existence … have some mercy on us, you and other boddhisattvas who got second passport .. we have nowhere to go if shit happens …
and there is another lesson of the holocaust .. and it is that your people come first … you cannot care for other people if comes at the expense of your own … have some mercy on your compatriots who are watching this mess and just shaking their heads in disbelieve … i know it’s not part of your sense of humanity but maybe just for the sake of that bloody holocaust