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shaayecanaan

(6,068 posts)
Mon Jun 18, 2012, 10:15 PM Jun 2012

Tel Aviv is no haven for asylum seekers

Ramallah, West Bank - The notion of a "Jewish and democratic state", never a feasible reality, continues to unravel as its inherent racism is revealed in a new way. Any political discussion of refugees that are of the wrong ethnicity inevitably refers to African migration to Israel as an "existential threat". Labelling these refugees as "threats" allows the state to criminalise and imprison them. Meanwhile, the country continues to solicit immigrants from East Asia to fulfil the need for cheap labour, and Jewish immigrants to battle the internal demographic war.

Brutal violence at the hands of their own governments has forced tens of thousands of people from the horn of Africa into Israel. In response the state has approved a significant rearrangement of its ministries' budgets, allowing it to pour significantly more money into efforts that punish these refugees for seeking asylum in Israel - a place which has long advertised itself as the only democracy in the Middle East.

State officials estimate that around 2,000 asylum seekers enter the country every month. Most of the men end up in Levinsky Park in southern Tel Aviv. At any time during the day or night, one can find young black African men sitting on the park's benches, swings and concrete walls. In late January, a man who lived in the park died from exposure during the night.

The majority of the men who live in Levinsky Park are from Eritrea and Darfur. They are luckier than most of their compatriots who remain in the perilous countries from which they have fled, but not so fortunate as those who manage to make it to the USA or Europe. For these refugees, Israel is considered a last-resort destination due to its rapidly worsening conditions for refugees and asylum seekers.

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2012/02/2012215161243752551.html

33 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Tel Aviv is no haven for asylum seekers (Original Post) shaayecanaan Jun 2012 OP
apparently they are not wanted in Israel for bthe past year Israel has been refusing them conversion azurnoir Jun 2012 #1
That is only common sense. Swede Jun 2012 #3
Yeah, its not like they were white or anything (nt) shaayecanaan Jun 2012 #4
Or legitimately wanting to convert to Judaism. Swede Jun 2012 #5
A little bit about conversion to Judaism... holdencaufield Jun 2012 #7
Interesting is this a relatively recent devlopment ? azurnoir Jun 2012 #8
That only Orthodox Conversions... holdencaufield Jun 2012 #9
My understanding was that for purposes of making Aliyah the question of who is a Jew was loosened up azurnoir Jun 2012 #10
Different Issue holdencaufield Jun 2012 #11
well there are Chinese Jews but apparently they were not? azurnoir Jun 2012 #12
afaik conservative and reform conversions are acceptable Mosby Jun 2012 #22
I went back and checked... holdencaufield Jun 2012 #27
But Israel is a democracy, pennylane100 Jun 2012 #13
Countries that have immigration policies... holdencaufield Jun 2012 #16
Immagration policies in a democratic society should not be based on religion. pennylane100 Jun 2012 #19
Israel's policies WRT jewish immigration isn't based on religion... shira Jun 2012 #20
As you well know... holdencaufield Jun 2012 #25
It is always easier to question someone's motives rather than engage in honest dialogue. pennylane100 Jun 2012 #28
Good lord. I feel bad. Shaktimaan Jan 2014 #32
Replying to a seven month old post in the early hours of the morning is a little unusual. pennylane100 Jan 2014 #33
Well I don't know of any Israel supporters even of the most extreme who claim that Israel is perfect. Dick Dastardly Jun 2012 #29
These guys no more wanted to become Jewish than you do. Swede Jun 2012 #17
Yes, of course it is. pennylane100 Jun 2012 #21
Israel does act like a democracy WRT immigration... shira Jun 2012 #23
There is no requirement that refugees have to be Jewish. That is a blatantly false claim. Dick Dastardly Jun 2012 #30
But Israel is a democracy, pennylane100 Jun 2012 #14
It's a ploy. Swede Jun 2012 #18
It has nothing to do with being black. Israel emergency airlifted tens of thousands of black Dick Dastardly Jun 2012 #24
At least you know what you're getting from the opening sentence oberliner Jun 2012 #2
Yep nt King_David Jun 2012 #6
'not as fortunate as those who make it to the USA or Europe' LeftishBrit Jun 2012 #15
I'll make it easy for you... shaayecanaan Jun 2012 #26
World Refugee Week: A community deported, in pictures azurnoir Jun 2012 #31

azurnoir

(45,850 posts)
1. apparently they are not wanted in Israel for bthe past year Israel has been refusing them conversion
Mon Jun 18, 2012, 10:41 PM
Jun 2012

to Judaism

Dozens of African migrants denied request to convert to Judaism

All requests from refugees and illegal migrants from Africa to convert to Judaism have been rejected over the past year, according to a source in the Prime Minister's Office.

The source could not provide exact figures but said "many dozens" of such requests were rejected. Conversion falls under the auspices of the PMO.

"Dozens of Africans come straight to our offices in Tel Aviv, try to convince us to allow them to submit a request that would be examined by an exceptions committee," a PMO official said on the sidelines of the PMO conversion department's annual convention last week. "Of course, all the requests were rejected."

Rabbi Seth Farber, the founder and director of Itim, which advocates on behalf of those who need help navigating Israel's religious bureaucracy, said the main problem is the exceptions committee itself.


http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/dozens-of-african-migrants-denied-request-to-convert-to-judaism-1.436992
 

holdencaufield

(2,927 posts)
7. A little bit about conversion to Judaism...
Tue Jun 19, 2012, 12:31 AM
Jun 2012

... for the uninitiated. You cannot go into an office (in Israel or any country) and just become a Jew -- not matter what colour you are.

Unlike most major (and minor) religions, scrambling for new recruits, converting to Orthodox Judaism is a rigorous process than can take years and many people who begin it will never finish it. Rabbis who accept candidates for conversion are OBLIGATED to try and dissuade them from converting to Judaism not once, not twice, but at least thrice. At any time during the conversion process, if the rabbi feels the subject is not fully serious or is not adhering to both the letter and spirit of Orthodox Judaism, the rabbi is obligated to reject any further training.

After learning to read Hebrew, memorizing prayers and rituals, learning the intricacies of Kashrut law, and everything else around becoming an Orthodox Jew the candidate must be examined by a Beit Dein made up of at least three SENIOR rabbis and can be rejected outright or sent back for additional training.

After all that, the candidate still must undergo a ritual circumcision (males of course) even if candidate was previously medically circumcised.

Conversion to Conservative or Reformed Judaism is significantly easier, but for the purposes of Aliyah to Israel, only Orthodox Conversion is accepted.

Showing up in Israel and saying I want to be Jewish isn't an option -- unless you're willing to undergo the process I've described above -- regardless of your colour or creed. But, if you're willing and able to go through the process and make it out the other side, you are fully considered a Jew.

azurnoir

(45,850 posts)
8. Interesting is this a relatively recent devlopment ?
Tue Jun 19, 2012, 12:59 AM
Jun 2012

This HuffPo article makes it sound as though it may be

Nearly 100 American Orthodox rabbis have signed a letter demanding that the conversions they perform outside Israel be recognized -- at least for immigration purposes -- by Israel's Interior Ministry.

The rabbis -- including members of the Rabbinical Council of America, the Orthodox Union, Yeshiva University and the International Rabbinic Fellowship -- were caught off guard by an article in the New York Jewish Week that said the ministry had empowered Israel's Chief Rabbinate to scrutinize the Jewishness of Orthodox converts.

Although the Rabbinate, which has sole authority over Jewish marriage in Israel, began to scrutinize Orthodox converts who wanted to marry under its auspices a few years ago, it had not previously had decision-making power on immigration issues.

<snip>

"Recent reports that the Interior Ministry is consulting with the Israeli Chief Rabbinate are disturbing," the rabbis wrote. "We find this unacceptable, and turn to you in an effort to insure that those individuals whom we convert will automatically be eligible for (immigration to Israel) as they have been in the past."


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/24/us-rabbis-blast-israel-ov_n_827848.html

 

holdencaufield

(2,927 posts)
9. That only Orthodox Conversions...
Tue Jun 19, 2012, 01:14 AM
Jun 2012

... are considered valid for the purposes of emigration to Israel isn't new. It goes back to the beginning of Israel's founding. In the early '70s there was an Asian family (husband, wife and three children) who were members of my shul who were going though conversion training for the purposes of making Aliyah. They eventually made it after three years and did move to Israel.

The thing about Judaism is there is no ecumenical hierarchy over the entire religion. Each group has their own authority and those authorities frequently disagree. Israel has a Chief Rabbinate for religious matters, but with jurisdiction only in Israel. The article rightly points out that there will be disagreements between religious bodies over jurisdiction and this looks like that. It is especially complicated when Jewish Law and State Law overlay each other -- as in the argument of conversion for the purposes of emigration to Israel.

This appears to be religious bodies arguing over turf.

azurnoir

(45,850 posts)
10. My understanding was that for purposes of making Aliyah the question of who is a Jew was loosened up
Tue Jun 19, 2012, 01:28 AM
Jun 2012

around 1970, provided that you had at least one Grandparent who was a Jew even if they were secular, I take it this was not the case with the family in your shul?

 

holdencaufield

(2,927 posts)
11. Different Issue
Tue Jun 19, 2012, 03:24 AM
Jun 2012

Someone with a Jewish Grandparent can either Halachically Jewish (depending on the sex of the grandparent) or close enough for the purposes aliyah.

The family in question had no documented Jewish relatives. They were Chinese.

azurnoir

(45,850 posts)
12. well there are Chinese Jews but apparently they were not?
Tue Jun 19, 2012, 03:34 AM
Jun 2012

well I hope things eventually work out for them

Mosby

(16,168 posts)
22. afaik conservative and reform conversions are acceptable
Tue Jun 19, 2012, 03:35 PM
Jun 2012

For making aliyah. This issue has become political, even for orthodox conversions.

 

holdencaufield

(2,927 posts)
27. I went back and checked...
Wed Jun 20, 2012, 03:57 AM
Jun 2012

... you're right ... for conversions performed outside of Israel. Conversions performed inside Israel for the purpose aliyah need to be Orthodox certified the the Chief Rabbinate. It seems from the other article like the Rabbinate is looking to extend that oversight to conversions performed outside of Israel. Rabbis are always squabbling over turf, I'm not surprised.

However, if the day comes if a convert is being persecuted because he or she is a Jew, they will be admitted into Israel regardless of who performed the conversion.

pennylane100

(3,425 posts)
13. But Israel is a democracy,
Tue Jun 19, 2012, 03:50 AM
Jun 2012

so why is religion a factor. The billions of dollars of tax aid that goes to Israel each year has often been justified as necessary to ensure the survival of a democratic state in the region. Require that all refugees be Jewish does not sound very democratic to me.

ensure the survival of a democratic state in the region.

pennylane100

(3,425 posts)
19. Immagration policies in a democratic society should not be based on religion.
Tue Jun 19, 2012, 02:22 PM
Jun 2012

That would sound like a no brainer. Israel is free to enact any kind of immigration policies it wants. It certainly has that right, but it should stop posing a a democratic society, and we should stop subsidizing it.

I do not understand why it is so hard for supporter's of Israel to acknowledge that, along with every other country in the world, it is not perfect.

 

shira

(30,109 posts)
20. Israel's policies WRT jewish immigration isn't based on religion...
Tue Jun 19, 2012, 02:30 PM
Jun 2012

Jews who are atheist or christian are just as much at risk for being Jews as those who are religious. Look no further than Nazi Germany, where people who had 'some' Jewish blood in their ancestry were considered Jews (Nazis considered Jews to be a race).

 

holdencaufield

(2,927 posts)
25. As you well know...
Tue Jun 19, 2012, 07:11 PM
Jun 2012

... Judaism is more than a religion, it is an ethnicity as well. When people persecute Jews, they don't discriminate between religious and non-religious Jews. Israel is a homeland (and safe haven) for ethnic Jews from around the world and that includes people who convert to Judaism.

Immigration policies based on ethnicity are called Jus sanguinis and are common around the world. There are currently over 20 countries with Jus sanquinis immigration policies an many, like Ireland, Germany, Spain are full-fledged democracies. Many of these countries, like Slovakia. Turkey and India, receive large amounts of US aid.

No one ever said Israel was perfect -- certainly no Israelis do -- but, if you want to unilaterally declare Israel to be un-Democratic then you have to apply your same standard of democracy to other countries as well. Unless you have ANOTHER reason for singling out Israel for your chastisement?

pennylane100

(3,425 posts)
28. It is always easier to question someone's motives rather than engage in honest dialogue.
Wed Jun 20, 2012, 04:41 AM
Jun 2012

However, it is extremely offensive and it detracts from your credibility.

Regardless of whether Judaism is a religion or an ethnicity is irrelevant in a democratic society. However, most of the followers of Judaism are Semites, a group of people that originate from the same geographical region, and includes people of all different religions.

While Israel may be a safe haven for Jews around the world, you fail to address why this open door policy is not available for the groups that belong to the twenty percent Israeli's who are not Jewish. Is it because you have not thought of it in those terms or do you have ANOTHER reason for not concerning yourself with the unequal treatment of all Israeli citizens.

You might also want to rethink your use of the word unilateral when addressing my assessment of Israel's standards of democracy. The use of that particular word implies that I do not hold other countries to the same standard. Well you are as wrong about that as you are with the rest of your post.

Shaktimaan

(5,397 posts)
32. Good lord. I feel bad.
Tue Jan 7, 2014, 07:56 AM
Jan 2014

This was hands down the most evar seen post u have ever read. In sorry my dear. You night be dumb, you might be uneducated, you DO have a lotta confidence but still, no idea what the duck us going on at all. Let's look...


Regardless of whether Judaism is a religion or an ethnicity is irrelevant in a democratic society. However, most of the followers of Judaism are Semites, a group of people that originate from the same geographical region, and includes people of all different religions.


HOWEVER! Most Jews are Semites! And crabs are crystaceons! Because neither statement means anything related to this but I'll bet it make you feel smart. Jews are Semites!!!! Holy fucking shit! Oh wait. We've known it since blah and no one gives a splort.



While Israel may be a safe haven for Jews around the world, you fail to address why this open door policy is not available for the groups that belong to the twenty percent Israeli's who are not Jewish. Is it because you have not thought of it in those terms or do you have ANOTHER reason for not concerning yourself with the unequal treatment of all Israeli citizens.


It's the same policy for Jews and Arabs who all have FUCKING citizenship!!!

THE VERY WORST is when someone is do casual when calling someone a racist that they don't even fucking check first to see if their is any racism.

Well, that's you. You're the worst. Congratulations. Treat yourself. Go to the library and find the politest kids you can find. Then slap one and make him admit he has more white friends and is hitler.

Do it with kids. Adults will laugh at your um... rusticity. I'm sure it's all over your hair.

pennylane100

(3,425 posts)
33. Replying to a seven month old post in the early hours of the morning is a little unusual.
Sat Jan 11, 2014, 02:35 PM
Jan 2014

Maybe it was that last glass of wine that set off your rambling and mostly inaccurate rant. Whatever. While I could waste a small amount of time fact checking and disputing your idiotic bull, I really do not give a shit what you think.

Dick Dastardly

(937 posts)
29. Well I don't know of any Israel supporters even of the most extreme who claim that Israel is perfect.
Wed Jun 20, 2012, 05:59 PM
Jun 2012

Since supporters of Israel don't claim Israel is perfect it makes it kind of hard to acknowledge you were wrong about something you never said. Making false, unsupported and baseless claims about Israel and what supporters of Israel believe is a common tool used by many in the anti-Israel crowd to get around dealing with facts.




Jewishness is not just a religion but an ethnicity too.it is a shared culture, and an ethnicity too. It is sometimes called an ethno-religion. This is why you can have secular Jews.

An ethnoreligious group (or ethno-religious group) is an ethnic group of people whose members are also unified by a common religious background. Ethnoreligious communities define their ethnic identity neither exclusively by ancestral heritage nor simply by religious affiliation, but often through a combination of both[citation needed] (a long shared history; a cultural tradition of its own; either a common geographical origin, or descent from a small number of common ancestors; a common language, not necessarily peculiar to the group; a common literature peculiar to the group; a common religion different from that of neighbouring groups; being a minority or being an oppressed or a dominant group within a larger community).


Israels Immigration policies are multi track just like most countries and re not based on religion. All tracks conform to international convention, are not considered racist and are within norms. There is the regular immigration track just like most countries have. Israeli citizenship is granted to all ethnic groups and religions, by virtue of birth in Israel or by naturalisation after five years' residency.


There is also a another track called right of return or repatriation laws under the principles of Jus sanguinis and Lex sanguinis which Israel as well as many many other states,including most of Europe, gives those in a diaspora with ethnic/blood/ancestral ties to the country fast track or preferential immigration treatment. It is fully compatible with international law, conventions and norms. Armenia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Philippines, Spain, South Korea, Taiwan, and Turkey are just some of the countries around the world with similar laws that allow this.

Israel is a Jewish state and allows a special policy for Jews just like Ireland has a special policy for ethnic Irish, Italy for ethnic Italians and the many other countries for its own ethnicity. Just as with other countries who have non ethnic citizens, Israel has citizens who are not Jewish, and just like these countries Israels repatriation law applies only to a specific ethnicity which in Israels case is Jewish just as in the Italian case is ethnic Italians. Complaining only about Israel, claiming its not a democracy and other assorted rubbish due to this policy despite its being done by many other countries and acceptable under international law shows the extreme double standards Israel is held to as well as the hypocrisy and baselessness of many of the criticisms by the anti-Israel crowd. Hell your own country has made special laws for ethnic Britons.




info

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repatriation_laws

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_of_return

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jus_sanguinis
Jus sanguinis (Latin: right of blood) is a social policy by which citizenship is not determined by place of birth but by having one or both parent who are citizens of the nation. It contrasts with jus soli (Latin for "right of soil&quot .

At the end of the 19th century, the French-German debate on nationality saw the French, such as Ernest Renan, oppose the German conception, exemplified by Johann Fichte, who believed in an "objective nationality", based on blood, race or language. Renan's republican conception explains France's early adoption of jus soli. Many nations have a mixture of jus sanguinis and jus soli, including the United States, Canada, Israel, Germany (as of recently), Greece, the Republic of Ireland.

Apart from France, jus sanguinis is still the most common means of passing on citizenship in many continental European countries. Some countries provide almost the same rights as a citizen to people born in the country, without actually giving them citizenship. An example is Indfødsret in Denmark, which provides that upon reaching 18, non-citizen residents can decide to take a test to gain citizenship.

Unlike France, some European states (in their modern forms) are postempire creations within the past century. States arising out of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Ottoman Empire had huge numbers of ethnic populations outside of their new boundaries, as do most of the former Soviet states. Several had long-standing diasporas that did not conform to 20th century European nationalism and state creation.

In many cases, jus sanguinis rights were mandated by international treaty, with citizenship definitions imposed by the international community. In other cases, minorities were subject to legal and extra-legal persecution and their only option was immigration to their ancestral home country. States offering jus sanguinis rights to ethnic citizens and their descendants include Italy, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, and Romania. Each is required by international treaty to extend those rights.

Lex sanguinis

Many countries provide immigration privileges to individuals with ethnic ties to these countries (so-called leges sanguinis):

Bulgaria: Article 25 of the 1991 constitution specifies that a "person of Bulgarian origin shall acquire Bulgarian citizenship through a facilitated procedure." Article 15 of the Law on Bulgarian Citizenship provides that an individual "of Bulgarian origin" (ethnicity) may be naturalized without any waiting period and without having to show a source of income, knowledge of the Bulgarian language, or renunciation of his former citizenship. This approach has been a tradition since the foundation of Bulgaria in 1879, when large numbers of ethnic Bulgarians remained outside of the state. Bulgaria and

Greece were subject to a population exchange following the Second Balkan War. The conditions of the treaty settlement mandated that they accept individuals claiming respective ethnic origin.

Croatia: Article 11 of the Law on Croatian Citizenship allows emigrants and their descendants to acquire Croatian nationality upon return, without passing a language examination or renouncing former citizenship. In addition, Article 16 allows ethnic Croatians liviong outside Croatia "acquire Croatian citizenship" by making a written declaration and by submitting proof of attachment to Croatian culture.

Estonia: Article 36 of Estonian constitution states the right of every Estonian to come and live in Estonia.

Finland: Finnish law provides a right of return to ethnic Finns from the former Soviet Union, including Ingrians. Applicants must now pass an examination in one of the official languages of the country, Finnish or Swedish. Certain persons of Finnish descent who live outside the former Soviet Union also have the right to establish permanent residency, which would eventually entitle them to qualify for citizenship.

Germany: Article 116(1) of the German Basic Law (constitution) confers, within the range of the laws regulating the peculiarities, a right to citizenship upon any person who is admitted to Germany (in its borders of 1937) as "refugee or expellee of German ethnic origin or as the spouse or descendant of such a person." At one time, ethnic Germans living abroad in a country in the former Eastern Bloc (Aussiedler) could obtain citizenship virtually automatically procedure.[1] Since 1990 the law has been steadily tightened to limit the number of immigrants each year. It now requires immigrants to prove language skills and cultural affiliation. Article 116(2) entitles persons (and their descendants), who were denaturalised by the Nazi government, to be renaturalised if they wish. Those among them, who took their residence in Germany after May 8, 1945 are automatically to be considered as Germans. Both reguations, (1) and (2), provided for a considerable group of Poles and Israelis, residing in Poland and Israel, who are simultaneously Germans.

Greece: Ethnic Greeks can obtain Greek citizenship by two methods under the Code of Greek Nationality. Article 5 allows ethnic Greeks who are stateless (which, in practice, includes those who voluntarily renounce their nationality) to obtain citizenship upon application to a Greek consular official. In addition, ethnic Greeks who join the armed forces acquire automatic citizenship by operation of Article 10, with the military oath taking the place of the citizenship oath. This position arises from the fact that approximately 85% of known ethnic Greeks were outside the boundaries when the country was formed, and 40% remained outside the final boundaries at the beginning of World War I. Most were de jure stripped of their host country citizenship with the outbreak of war if the host country was at war with Greece. In the late 19th century, Greece had a wider diaspora because of poverty and limited opportunities.

Hungary: Section 4(3) of the Act on Nationality permits ethnic Hungarians (defined as persons "at least one of whose relatives in ascendant line was a Hungarian citizen&quot to obtain citizenship on preferential terms after one year of residence. In addition, the "Status Law" of 2001 grants certain privileges to ethnic Hungarians living in territories that were once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It permits them to obtain an identification card but does not confer the right to full Hungarian citizenship.

India: A child born in India must have at least one parent who is an Indian citizen to be conferred citizenship. Persons with at least one Indian grandparent may apply for a Person of Indian Origin card, provided that neither the applicant nor any ancestor has ever been a citizen of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, or China. The government may add other countries to the list. This card is a travel document and permits the holder to enter and stay in India without a visa, work, start a business, own land, and attend educational institutions, but it does not give the right to vote or hold office. In addition, persons of Indian origin who are nationals of countries not on the list may apply for Overseas Indian Citizenship, which confers similar rights and also permits the holder to apply for full Indian nationality after one year of residence.

Ireland: Under Irish nationality law, any person with an Irish grandparent can become an Irish citizen by being registered in the Foreign Births Register at an Irish embassy or consular office, or at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin. Such an individual may also pass his entitlement to Irish nationality on to his children by registering in the Foreign Births Register, provided he or she registered as an Irish citizen with the Foreign Births Register before the birth of those children. The minister may also waive the usual requirements for naturalisation as an Irish citizen for those of "Irish descent or Irish associations" although this power is rarely used.

Israel: In addition to Israeli citizenship being granted to all ethnic groups and religions (a) by virtue of birth in Israel or (b) by naturalisation after five years' residency and the acquisition of a basic knowledge of Hebrew, (c) the Law of Return confers an automatic right to citizenship on any immigrant to Israel who is Jewish by birth or conversion, or who has a Jewish parent, grandparent or spouse or who is the spouse of a child of a Jew or the spouse of a grandchild of a Jew.

Italy: Possibly alone in this respect, Italian nationality law bestows citizenship jure sanguinis. There is no limit of generations for the citizenship via blood, but the Italian ancestor born in Italian territories before 1861 had to die after 1861 anywhere in the world without losing the Italian citizenship before death to being able to continue the jure sanguinis chain. This is required because 1861 is the year that the Unification of the Italian territory took place. Another constraint is that each descendant of the ancestor through whom citizenship is claimed jure sanguinis can pass on citizenship only if the descendant was a citizen at the time of the birth of the person to whom they are passing it. So, if any person in the chain renounces or otherwise loses the Italian citizenship and then has a child, that child is not an Italian citizen jure sanguinis. A further constraint is that until January 1, 1948, Italian law did not permit women to pass on citizenship. Persons born before that date are not Italian citizens jure sanguinis if their line of descent from an Italian citizen depends on a female at some point before 1948.

Kiribati: Articles 19 and 23 of the constitution provides, "Every person of I-Kiribati descent... shall... become or have and continue to have thereafter the right to become a citizen of Kiribati.... Every person of I-Kiribati descent who does not become a citizen of Kiribati on Independence Day... shall, at any time thereafter, be entitled upon making application in such manner as may be prescribed to be registered as a citizen of Kiribati."

Liberia: the Liberian constitution allows only people "of sub-saharan African descent" (regardless of cultural or national affiliation) to become citizens.
Poland: The Statute on Polish Citizenship, as amended in 2000, permits the descendants of Poles who lost their nationality involuntarily between 1920 and 1989 to take up Polish citizenship without regard to ordinary naturalization criteria.

Rwanda: The Rwandan constitution provides that "[a]ll persons originating from Rwanda and their descendants shall, upon their request, be entitled to Rwandan nationality."

Serbia: Article 23 of the 2004 citizenship law provides that the descendants of emigrants from Serbia, or ethnic Serbs residing abroad, may take up citizenship upon written declaration.

Slovakia: A person with at least one Slovak grandparent and "Slovak cultural and language awareness" may apply for an expatriate identity card entitling him to live, work, study and own land in Slovakia. Expatriate status is not full citizenship and does not entitle the holder to vote, but a holder who moves his domicile to Slovakia may obtain citizenship under preferential terms.

South Korea: South Korean nationality law grants special status to some descendants of ethnic Koreans.

Spain: Those born to an original Spaniard (whether or not the parent still retains Spanish citizenship or is still living) are entitled to original Spanish nationality. (Original Spaniards are those who were born with Spanish nationality, no matter where they were born). The grandchildren of those who emigrated due to political or economical reasons are also entitled to original Spanish nationality. Citizenship on preferential terms may be obtained after one year's residence for grandchildren of original Spanish citizens, as well as any person who can claim Sephardic Jewish ancestry. For citizens of Andorra, Portugal, Latin America, the Philippines, or Equatorial Guinea, the required residency period is two years, but it is ten years for all other foreigners.

Turkey: Turkish law allows persons of Turkish origin and their spouse and children, to apply for naturalization without the five-year waiting period applicable to other immigrants. Turkey and Greece reciprocally expelled their minorities in the early 1920s after World War I. They were mandated by international treaty to accept incoming populations as citizens based on ethnic background.

Ukraine: Article 8 of the Law on Citizenship of Ukraine permits any person with at least one Ukrainian grandparent to become a citizen upon renunciation of the former nationality.

Swede

(33,144 posts)
17. These guys no more wanted to become Jewish than you do.
Tue Jun 19, 2012, 10:35 AM
Jun 2012

It's a ploy to gain entry,anyone with a lick of sense sees that.

pennylane100

(3,425 posts)
21. Yes, of course it is.
Tue Jun 19, 2012, 03:34 PM
Jun 2012

However, that was not my point. The fact that one has to be either be Jewish, or have the right credentials to convert is at odds with the principles of democracy. Also, at least twenty percent of the population are Israeli Arabs. What about the right to asylum for of people of their faith. I have a feeling that is is non existent.

Israel cannot have it's cake and eat it. If it wants to be a democracy, it should act like one.



 

shira

(30,109 posts)
23. Israel does act like a democracy WRT immigration...
Tue Jun 19, 2012, 04:11 PM
Jun 2012

They take in the same percentage, relative to the entire population, as European nations.

Dick Dastardly

(937 posts)
30. There is no requirement that refugees have to be Jewish. That is a blatantly false claim.
Wed Jun 20, 2012, 06:13 PM
Jun 2012

The repatriation laws or right of return is a separate immigration track than that of refugees. But you know that.

pennylane100

(3,425 posts)
14. But Israel is a democracy,
Tue Jun 19, 2012, 03:51 AM
Jun 2012

so why is religion a factor. The billions of dollars of tax aid that goes to Israel each year has often been justified as necessary to ensure the survival of a democratic state in the region. Require that all refugees be Jewish does not sound very democratic to me.

Dick Dastardly

(937 posts)
24. It has nothing to do with being black. Israel emergency airlifted tens of thousands of black
Tue Jun 19, 2012, 06:55 PM
Jun 2012

Ethiopian Jews when they were in trouble. There are 120k Ethiopian Jews in Israel now.

 

oberliner

(58,724 posts)
2. At least you know what you're getting from the opening sentence
Mon Jun 18, 2012, 10:44 PM
Jun 2012

"The notion of a "Jewish and democratic state", never a feasible reality, continues to unravel as its inherent racism is revealed in a new way."

And off we go!

LeftishBrit

(41,192 posts)
15. 'not as fortunate as those who make it to the USA or Europe'
Tue Jun 19, 2012, 04:55 AM
Jun 2012

Not sure about that. Vicious xenophobia against asylum seekers is common enough in Europe, and is whipped up in the popular press. In the UK (which is probably not the worst country from this point of view), statistics show that Sudanese refugees are far more likely to be turned away than accepted.

This is no excuse for Israel's attitudes; but Israel can hardly be treated as unique in its xenophobia.

shaayecanaan

(6,068 posts)
26. I'll make it easy for you...
Tue Jun 19, 2012, 08:51 PM
Jun 2012

Here's the simple truth: Israel is more liberal, enlightened and democratic than the Arab states. It is generally not as liberal, democratic or enlightened as countries in Western Europe.

Israel has, to date, accepted roughly 80 African refugees for permanent asylum out of the many thousands that have arrived there. Australia has accepted 13,000 refugees for permanent asylum, from Sudan and Somalia. The UK has accepted 3,065 from Sudan alone. Even allowing for differences in size, there is a serious difference here.

Naturally enough, the Zionist narrative has implications for the Black refugees. If you argue that Israel is justified in preventing the return of Arab refugees who have connections to the land going back thousands of years, then you will have a hard time avoiding the conclusion that they are also entitled to refuse entry to Blacks who have no real connection to the land at all.

Of course, every country is good and bad in its own unique ways and I would reject any suggestion that Israel is categorically unique. After all, I am a Marxist and a materialist - any uniqueness on the part of any country arises on account of its circumstances.

Relevantly, the most monoethnic state in the world is Armenia, with well over 99% of all its citizens being of ethnic Armenian stock, despite the fact that it is surrounded on all sides by countries with overwhelmingly Turkic populations. The complete absence of Turks in Armenia and the potency of Armenian racism is in its arguable necessity - the lurid tales about Turks wanting to kill them all do not sound quite as lurid when you consider that historically, the Turks have sought to do exactly that.

I suppose its a bit like that old paradox about Josef Stalin - could you really call him paranoid when people, in fact, did want to kill him? By the same token, is arguably-morally-justified racism actually racism? And accordingly, is there a difference between Israel proclaiming itself the land of the Jews and Britain proclaiming itself the land of the Anglo-Saxons?

There may well be, but from the point of view of a Sudanese refugee, its probably all one and the same.

azurnoir

(45,850 posts)
31. World Refugee Week: A community deported, in pictures
Fri Jun 22, 2012, 02:03 PM
Jun 2012

On June 7, 2012, the Jerusalem District Court ruled against a petition submitted by several Israeli human rights organizations, asking the court not to lift the collective protection that had been granted to South Sudanese asylum seekers by the State of Israel in recent years. In so ruling, the court legally opened the door for their expulsion. This decision came in the midst of a raging public debate that accuses the government for the long-time neglect of the issue of refugees and immigration, or, as it is now called by official government representatives, “the problem of infiltrators.”

http://972mag.com/world-refugee-week-a-community-deported-in-pictures/49006/

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