Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., January 26, 2009 Shvat 1, 5769 | | Israel Time: 13:19 (EST+7)   Back to Homepage web haaretz.com Haaretz Toolbar Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Joy of Giving Travel Week's End Anglo File

The new refugees By Amira Hass Tags: Amira Hass, Israel news, Gaza Until Enaya Samara, who has been living in forced exile for the past eight months returns to her village near Ramallah, and until Someida Abbas, who was banished from his home 10 months ago accompanies his children to kindergarten again, it will not be possible to believe the defense establishment's promise to change its policy. So long as American, Brazilian and German citizens whose name is not Cohen but Abdullah, are refused entry at the borders, we will know that the policy is still in effect - the policy of causing tens of thousands of Palestinian families to break up, or to leave their homes and emigrate. This is not a new policy in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Since 1967, Israel has been carrying out demographic manipulations which should actually be called expulsion. Military edicts have caused some 100,000 people to lose their status as permanent residents in the occupied territories and to remain exiles in the countries to which they went to study or work. These manipulations have turned 240,000 people who were born in the West bank and Gaza and left the territories because of the 1967 war, and another 60,000 who were abroad when it broke out, to become new refugees. All of them left behind families in the territories, but Israel prevented the vast majority from reuniting again in their homeland. (During those years, Israel was actively promoting the right of Jews in the USSR to emigrate and reunite with their families in Israel). After 1994, Israel made it possible for several thousand Palestinian families to unite every year; in other words, it granted their children the status of permanent residency. But the quota it fixed was always less than the real needs, and since 2001, Israel has even frozen the family unification process and barred Palestinians who are citizens of Arab countries (particularly Jordan and Egypt) from coming to visit. Until 2006, Palestinians with Western citizenship (Europeans and Americans) were able to avoid this comprehensive policy. In the 1990s, they were considered a welcome population (investors, businessmen, academics working in international organizations such as the World Bank). Even if most of them did not get permanent residency, Israel permitted them to live here and visit regularly. This was also the case with Western spouses of Palestinian residents. Until someone in the political echelons decided that this "positive discrimination" (as opposed to citizens of Jordan and Egypt) was intolerable. And from the start of 2006 their entry has been blocked. Advertisement It is not clear who the decision-maker is. The coordinator of government activities in the territories told Western diplomats it was the Interior Ministry that made the decision. Interior Ministry officials say it was a joint decision with the Defense Ministry. Be that as it may, whoever made the decision did not take into account that this was a blow to the strongest circles among the Palestinians - those who speak English, have access to the U.S. State Department, to important journalists, and to the Israeli and international business worlds. They found a way to get together and protest, unlike the tens of thousands of women who have Jordanian citizenship and hide in fear in the West Bank because Israel does not recognize their right to live with their husbands and children. The change of policy toward Palestinians with Western citizenship was brought to the attention of MK Ephraim Sneh even before he became deputy defense minister. Already then, Sneh was of the opinion that there was no point in changing the policy and that doing so would be harmful to Israel's interests. In a conversation with Haaretz, he sounded sincere in promising that this policy toward the Americans and Europeans had been canceled and that his bureau was working on new regulations that would "make things simpler rather than making them more complicated, and would alleviate rather than aggravate" the situation. (However, it was possible to understand from this that the regulations would not legalize the stay of thousands, particularly adults and children who remained even though their visas were no longer valid). But the joy is premature: During the past two weeks, officials continued to prevent the entry even of those who are married and have children here and those who came on a visit. Are these merely "left-overs of the previous situation," as Sneh put it, or does it testify also to the fact that Sneh is not the sole decision-maker, as was evident with his position on removing the roadblocks? On the Israeli scene, army commanders (some of them settlers) act together with politicians, jurists and academics who are terrified of the demographic balance. The Green Line does not exist for them. They thought up the Citizenship Law, which crassly expanded the discrimination against Israeli Arabs and intervenes in their right to have a family life. Why do they not act the same across the Green Line where the military edict is in force? And if Sneh ceases being deputy defense minister, who can guarantee that a deputy from the Kadima party will not cancel the cancelation? More than ever before, the Israeli system today denies the fact that it is repression and discrimination, an integral part of every occupation, that create the security threat. The most it is prepared to do is make "improvements" and mete out "favors," but it will not recognize rights. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Disturbing trend Jewish Agency says Anti-Semitic acts in Jan. 2009 triple last year's records. After the war IDF gains in Gaza have softened Israel's stance on Shalit deal.   1.   Did I get that spelling correct? 11:03  |  Natallie Durson 27/12/06   2.   Israel afraid of Western Palestinian "upper class" ?? 11:06  |  Swiss (Dino) 27/12/06   3.   Thank you Amira 11:13  |  stella in Guelph 27/12/06   4.   Amira Hass is a traitor 11:13  |  Vittorio 27/12/06   5.   Natallie Durson 11:32  |  Daisy 27/12/06   6.   Too bad Hass isn`t interested in peace 11:52  |  David Teich 27/12/06   7.   Hass 11:59  |  Josef 27/12/06   8.   NOT SOON ENOUGH FOR PERMANENT PEACE 12:22  |  paul harris 27/12/06   9.   To David Hass 12:24  |  Lena 27/12/06   10.   Expell Amira. Send her to Teheran. 12:26  |  Obserever 27/12/06   11.   Laws for Palestinian Americans 12:40  |  Allia 27/12/06   12.   To David Teich (#6) 12:53  |  JustWondering 27/12/06   13.   IDFbanished jews from their homes without trial 13:12  |  sam 27/12/06   14.   #6David Teich "Usual Suspects." 13:28  |  Maureen Ann 27/12/06   15.   david teich #6 13:55  |  dubious 27/12/06   16.   This artical makes Vittorio lose his consciousness 13:55  |  Human Rights 27/12/06   17.   Amira HAAS the New Mother TERESA. 14:04  |  Marge 27/12/06   18.   A knotty problem 14:13  |  Dani Reiss 27/12/06   19.   Amira Hass, This is the policy of hatred & aparthied 14:27  |  Human Rights 27/12/06   20.   At least a godd news from IDF 14:34  |  Ralph 27/12/06   21.   Thanks again for sticking up for us and for our attacks on Jews 14:38  |  Haniyeh 27/12/06   22.   Sam, Be a little coherent just for a while 14:44  |  Human Rights 27/12/06   23.   #19 APARTHEID IN ARAB LANDS NO JEWS NO WOMEN 14:45  |  paul harris 27/12/06   24.   Observer & Vittorio are washing their dirty clothes on public 14:58  |  Human Rights 27/12/06   25.   Rights and wrongs 15:15  |  harry 27/12/06   26.   Amira the angry Jewess!!!!!!!! 15:17  |  Gabe1 27/12/06   27.   Simple & Logical Calculation. 15:19  |  Human Rights 27/12/06   28.   #23 Arab`s attitude toward jews has nothing to do with Pals. 15:35  |  Human Rights 27/12/06   29.   "Recognition of Rights" is Ethnically Determined in Israel 16:58  |  Yaakov Sullivan 27/12/06   30.   Swiss(Dino) 17:02  |  ODP 27/12/06   31.   Many thanks to Amira 17:05  |  Alex 27/12/06   32.   Jewish vs Democratic 17:05  |  Yaakov Sullivan 27/12/06   33.   ODP and his Machinations #30 17:28  |  Yaakov Sullivan 27/12/06   34.   Yaakov Sullivan #32 17:42  |  Jeremiah 27/12/06   35.   Thank you, Jeremiah #34 17:57  |  Yaakov Sullivan 27/12/06   36.   # 30 ODP 17:57  |  Swiss (Dino) 27/12/06   37.   #28 HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE FABLES OF THE MEDIA 17:59  |  paul harris 27/12/06   38.   Mr. Harris, would you recommend sterilization as a remedy? #37 18:06  |  Yaakov Sullivan 27/12/06   39.   Proof Amira Hass is a fraud 18:06  |  David Stoler 27/12/06   40.   I agree - but don`t 18:07  |  Moises 27/12/06   41.   Swiss(Dino) 18:08  |  ODP 27/12/06   42.   Jeremiah 18:16  |  ODP 27/12/06   43.   ODP the reasons are clear #41 18:30  |  Yaakov Sullivan 27/12/06   44.   #38 YOU SAID IT YAAKOV ITS BEEN TRIED IN INDIA 18:31  |  paul harris 27/12/06   45.   MrHarris, does this then apply to the Hassidim as well? #38 18:42  |  Yaakov Sullivan 27/12/06   46.   I refer readers to the group "Compatants for Peace" # 39 18:50  |  Yaakov Sullivan 27/12/06   47.   #45 READ MY LIPS YAAKOV ITS ALL SET OUT 18:53  |  paul harris 27/12/06   48.   Yaakov 18:58  |  ODP 27/12/06   49.   Another anti-Israel post... 19:03  |  Steven 27/12/06   50.   Mr. Carter READ THIS... 19:10  |  MIKE KATZ 27/12/06   51.   Despite Adolf Hass and Amira Hitler: HELLO! :-) 19:54  |  Mr. Feelgood Anyway 27/12/06   52.   Zionist state practising ethnic cleansing 20:00  |  Joe 27/12/06   53.   Thank Amira 20:23  |  A Good Jew 27/12/06   54.   It?s her terrible grief, not hatred 20:59  |  Anxiety 27/12/06   55.   Paul Harris - A Further Reminder 21:07  |  chet 27/12/06   56.   amira is an "AMIRA` in arabic 21:19  |  mattia 27/12/06   57.   I should also mention, my brother was born in JERUSALEM 21:22  |  Joe 27/12/06   58.   Thanks Amira, Israel needs self-critism 21:30  |  HonestIsraeli 27/12/06   59.   It?s her grief, not hatred 21:49  |  Anxiety 27/12/06   60.   #49 Steven, Amira is pro-Israel but anti-apartheid 21:58  |  Eden 27/12/06   61.   This is good news: We must expel all the enemy 22:08  |  Moshe 27/12/06   62.   We should do to Arabs what the Russians did to Germans in 1945 22:10  |  Yael 27/12/06   63.   Refugees 22:13  |  Yellowbirdwoman 27/12/06   64.   Amira = anti Israel byased dis-information 22:14  |  GF 27/12/06   65.   new refugees 22:18  |  nevermind 27/12/06   66.   I should also mention, my brother was born in JERUSALEM 22:21  |  Joe 27/12/06   67.   population transfer 22:24  |  Mike 27/12/06   68.   To Amira 22:33  |  n_erber 27/12/06   69.   Hey Joe - you forgot the Palestinian ethnic cleansing policy 22:46  |  JPS 27/12/06   70.   GF from Rehovot, what the hell does that have to do with it? #55 22:50  |  Yaakov Sullivan 27/12/06   71.   # 41 ODP 22:55  |  Swiss (Dino) 27/12/06   72.   I remember when 23:01  |  Janice 27/12/06   73.   Discrimination has no place in democracy 23:02  |  Democracy Now 27/12/06   74.   MANIPULATE THIS... 23:04  |  MIKE KATZ 27/12/06   75.   #4 You just cannot handle the truth 23:06  |  alan 27/12/06   76.   to Joe from Ramallah 23:08  |  David 27/12/06   77.   #10 23:09  |  alan 27/12/06   78.   #48 Yaakov & ODP 23:11  |  Dana in Canada 27/12/06   79.   Maureen Ann 23:12  |  Joe 27/12/06   80.   #52 joe 23:14  |  alan 27/12/06   81.   1, Natallie 23:15  |  Joe 27/12/06   82.   #55 GF 23:20  |  alan 27/12/06   83.   2nd try Vittorio....and his traitor 23:45  |  maoriboy 27/12/06   84.   I should also mention, my brother was born in JERUSALEM 23:45  |  Joe 27/12/06   85.   to GF - call it what you want 23:53  |  Yossi 27/12/06   86.   Expulsion 00:01  |  Michael Katz 28/12/06   87.   Amira Hass 00:15  |  AZ Fried 28/12/06   88.   Millions of Jews live in Non-Jewish countries 00:37  |  For a better Israel 28/12/06   89.   To Talkback Censors 01:43  |  chet 28/12/06   90.   Joe from Ramallah 01:48  |  a simple person 28/12/06   91.   #52 Joe, It`s cruel to keep Arab families apart 02:41  |  Dutch 28/12/06   92.   Joe in Los Angeles, Hate what they do! 03:16  |  Maureen Ann 28/12/06   93.   Amira Hass, Gideon Levy and other Quislings 04:19  |  Mr. Ami Goldman 28/12/06   94.   on Jews being a race, Maureen Ann 04:44  |  Joe 28/12/06   95.   David..jews rule America 04:53  |  John 28/12/06   96.   #77, Goldman 05:45  |  Hannah 28/12/06   97.   Israel`s Homeland Security 06:15  |  Emilio 28/12/06   98.   Alien Invasion 06:32  |  Finger in the dike 28/12/06   99.   #80 Palestinians a race? 06:46  |  Christina 28/12/06   100.   Thank you so much IDF for expelling West Bank pals 08:11  |  Joseph E . 28/12/06   101.   Olmert and IDF: bad cop vs. good cop game goes on... 08:54  |  best late than never 28/12/06   102.   to human right 10:15  |  harry 28/12/06   103.   14: Maureen self-identifies (2nd try) 12:20  |  David Teich 28/12/06   104.   15: dubious, problems with reading comprehension problems (2nd) 12:21  |  David Teich 28/12/06   105.   95: Well then, John, we do a terrible job, don`t we? 12:27  |  David Teich 28/12/06   106.   david teich problems wilth honesty 13:08  |  dubious 28/12/06   107.   Amira, This system is against democratic values 19:01  |  Dutch 28/12/06   108.   refugees by 100`s of 1000`s from Irag and Lebanon in Syria,Jordan 01:28  |  bukra fil mishmish 29/12/06   109.   Iam one you defend 06:00  |  Peace lover 29/12/06   110.   Great Job, Amira!!! 03:55  |  sealadaigh 30/12/06   111.   106: Dubious still doesn`t get it right (2nd try) 08:46  |  David Teich 01/01/07   112.   Amira- your courage is inspiring 00:58  |  world citizen 05/01/07

Read & React Livni: Israel should strike Hamas again to halt arms smuggling Responses: 44 Amir Oren: 'Decisive' Gaza offensive merely rehearsal for next crisis versus Iran Responses: 8 Netanyahu: Likud-led government wouldn't build new settlements Responses: 36 Akiva Eldar: Saudi plan offers Israel united front with Arab states against Iran Responses: 10 More Headlines 11:52 Egypt to Hamas: Take Gaza truce before Netanyahu is PM 12:30 Veteran ultra-Orthodox MK Avraham Ravitz dies aged 75 11:24 Iran MPs plan Gaza visit to praise Hamas resistance against 'Zionist offensive' 12:54 Sky News joins BBC in refusing to air Gaza fundraiser 13:16 Lecturers say IDF officer who justified Gaza strikes should not teach law 10:14 Nine held for allegedly attacking Israeli Arabs in Upper Nazareth 10:36 Netanyahu: Likud-led coalition wouldn't build new settlements 12:12 Survey: Most Israelis want Benjamin Netanyahu to be prime minister 13:17 IDF rabbinate publication during Gaza war: We will show no mercy on the cruel 10:35 Haaretz probe: Unknown overseas sources paid MK Lieberman NIS 2.5m 10:51 2 hurt, 1 seriously, after light plane crashes near Beit She`an 04:42 EU presses Egypt to take action against Gaza arms smuggling 11:27 Number of laid-off Israelis set new high in December 07:41 U.S. businessman Guma L. Aguiar gives $8m to Nefesh b'Nefesh 07:43 Program launched to bring all Jewish teachers worldwide to Israel 04:43 Court to state: Let foreign media into Gaza when borders open 04:45 Egypt evacuates Rafah area, fearing IAF strike on Gaza Previous Editions Select Day 25 jan 23 jan 22 jan 21 jan 20 jan 19 jan 18 jan 16 jan 15 jan 14 jan 13 jan 12 jan

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