Olmert: Ethiopian Jews are right to feel discriminated against
PM tells cabinet at weekly meeting that 'we must change the reality in which Ethiopians feel they've been wronged.'
By Barak Ravid Tags: Israel immigration Jewish World"Ethiopian Jews' feeling that they have been wronged is not detached from reality, a reality that we must change," Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Sunday.
At the opening of the weekly cabinet meeting, Olmert spoke about the discrimination against Ethiopian-born students, referring to a recent discovery that four Ethiopian girls had been forced to study in complete isolation at a Petah Tikva religious school.
"These stories compound the general distress felt by the Ethiopian children and the Ethiopian population within the Israeli society," the prime minister said, adding that this feeling is not devoid of truth, and is not isolated to a certain part of the country. "There are problems and there are hardships. This coming January we will approve a new wide ranging program aimed at resolving some of the issues facing Ethiopian Jewry," he said.
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni also addressed the issue, saying "this is not a problem confined to the four girls who emigrated from Ethiopia."
Livni, who served as absorption minister in the past, maintains close ties with the Ethiopian community in Israel. She added that "there is an entire phenomenon of pure racism in the hiring of Ethiopian immigrants in the job market and the renting of homes to them. This discrimination forced them to concentrate in certain neighborhoods and harmed their integration."
On Saturday, Ethiopian immigrants disrupted a Petah Tikva school board ceremony meant to honor excellent employees. The immigrants were protesting the fact that the ceremony was being held precisely during the same week that the discrimination against the four young girls was revealed.
Dozens of demonstrators arrived at the Petah Tikva cultural center and took over the stage, waving protest signs and shouting their objections, preventing the ceremony from taking place.
Consequently, the Petah Tikva municipality decided to cancel the ceremony.
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Ethiopian first graders attending a Jerusalem school last month. (Roni Schitzer/Jini) |
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It is sad to hear that the very people [jews] who had been through hideous genocide of the second world war, who have seen discrimination first hand now practice it.
Hitler in the begining earmarked every Jew and then started his idiot racist genocide.I am feeling these schools now started discriminating the Ethiopian Jews since their early age and which is mental genocide by itself. What is the future of this kids: mentally tortured, compelled to feel inferiority ,and eventually ,who knows, they may be top criminals thanks for ur discrimination. But did Torah taught you like this. Dont forget the wife of Moses was an ETHIOPIAN.Read ur book again.
Except, when it's Ethiopians everyone condemns it and calls it racism, but when it's Russians, everyone just keeps blaming the Russians. At least racism against the Ethiopians is considered "politically incorrect". Racism against "those dirty Russians who are mostly not even Jewish" bullshit is considered not just normal, but righteous. Racism here in Israel, against anybody is a shame. Not here. Not within our nation that knows exactly how terrible racism is... Shame on racists.
Do not oppress an alien; you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens, because you were aliens in Egypt.? (Exodus 23:9)
"Is there anything more stupid than discriminating due to colour?" - YES! Discriminating due to religion.
everyone can see that its always been so
I think that the Israeli society is too aggressive, and they have problems living with other races. This also spreads additional problems to other conflicts, with the arabs, etc. This is something that they should understand. I do not know where it came from, but it reminds me the thinking that happens in Argentina, with other neighbour countries, or also in the US. Israelies are too aggressive. Every time I go there, I feel it. It seems that the war, the diaspora immigrants, some also from Nordic states with very bad humour, are not prepared to live in a world that is all mixed up. All Europe is mixed, go to an airport in London, and is difficult to find a Briton. That is the world now, accept it.
People tend to identify with those who seem the most like themselves. The teachers at the school should set the tone, as teachers at other schools do, encouraging the rest of the children to accept the newcomers who are brave to be in a new country at a new school with a new language and customs. These are our fellow citizens. I know of individual teachers who make this effort and the difference is marked and pleasant. What a pity that the adults have no more sense than children.
That's Isareli society for non-Jews, second class citizens.
Israel is a racist apartheid nation. The PM says it himself. The fact we have jews treating the ethiopians like this when the jews themselves have been a pretty despised lot down the centuries is pretty ironic
Wow, Racism amongst the Jewish population in Israel is outta control. Condi Rice was correct in comparing Israel to 1950's Southern USA.
:(
Olmert seems to be the kind of guy who'll say one thing...but then not bother to do something about it. And it's starting to get on my nerves. "This coming January..." sounds like such a crock. Since I get the feeling no one's even bothering to even look at this "wide ranging program". So Olmert, convince me you're not just blowing smoke. Oh hey, and start now.