Shifra Shomron's Thoughts

Jewish Refugees in Cyprus

Zionism in Regression

By Shifra Shomron
[shifra@email.com]

14th of Av 5766/ 8 August 2006

Nitzan Caravilla site

We've all seen the movie Exodus. In one of the first thrilling scenes, a young man jumps off the truck convoy of 'illegal immigrants' taking them back to the ship to be interned on the island of Cyprus. Our young man punches a British soldier, leaves his bag on the truck and frantically dashes away. He is risking his life for freedom and for his land. He swiftly clambers up a stone fortress – two Brits are hot on his tail – reaches the top and…no escape! The Brits reach him; he punches one, picks up a large stone to throw at the other. He's grasped, a wrestle ensues; he's flung off the stone wall and lands with his clothes torn, bloody and unconscious. The Brits pick him up and carry him away.

Yes, once – a mere matter of fifty odd years ago – we were prepared to fight so as to stay in Israel and not be dragged off to Cyprus.

How things have changed: now Haifa and Krayot residents are buying 'refuge apartments' in Cyprus according to Ynet news (7 August 2006). Four families have already purchased furnished apartments in Limassul and other towns. If more rockets fall in Haifa, these families are packed and ready to move.

So, the secular Zionist dream has failed: Israel is not a refuge for Jews. Israel is not – but Cyprus is. The lovely island of Cyprus to which Holocaust survivors were dragged kicking and screaming. They reached there and were placed in encampments surrounded by barbed wire, British soldiers at the entrance, and wooden bunks in the rooms.

But after all, now Cyprus is modern and developed: high rise apartments, English fluency, inducted to the European Union… Forward! To Cyprus!

And what about Israel? What about our torn and bloodied country?

Our country is torn, because we have been tearing pieces off to fling to the jackals surrounding us.

Our country is bloodied, because the jackals keep lunging, snapping and biting… and we restrain.

Since Israel is restraining itself from properly defending the residents of Haifa, Krayot, Tsfat, S'derot etc… perhaps the Israeli government should reach an agreement with Cyprus permitting building large encampments.

We'll provide the barbed wire.