Thursday, February 24, 2011

It's Not About Israel

Der Spiegel carries a story about immigration fears.

For a change, it is not about criticism of Israel's policies regarding illegal infiltration from Africa via Egypt and Sinai into Israel.  In 2008, TIME reported on

200,000 foreign workers from East Asia, Africa and Latin America who have found their way to Israel. About half of them are illegal

and quoted a Noa Kaufman of the Israeli Children pressure group criticizing government policy.

A 2010 story on the deportion of illegal children quoted Sigal Rozen at the Hotline for Migrant Workers

and Noa Maiman, an actress who has been prominent in the campaign for the children, who described the decision was "cruel."

But the Der Spiegel story didn't focus on Israel.  It informed us that

Italian ministers now warn that if his Libyan government collapses, people will flow across the Mediterranean.

These officials were concerned

...that hundreds of thousands of immigrants could head for Europe. Italy's interior minister, ahead of an EU summit in Brussels, called on Thursday for European help in dealing with a looming "catastrophic humanitarian emergency."

...said Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini on Wednesday..."It is a Biblical exodus. It's a problem that no Italian should underestimate."

and there are other worried countries

"Germany, as the largest and most economically powerful country in Europe, has a special responsibility to act," said Monika Lüke, head of Amnesty International in Germany. "Germany has to finally end its obstructionist attitude regarding a common refugee policy in the EU."

I guess we cann be relieved?

At least they are not talking about "illegal settlements".


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