Yishai: Deporting foreign children preserves Israel's Jewish identity

For the record, children born in the US are automatically citizens, and their parents are granted asylum...which is why so many cross the border before giving birth. Heck, I would too, wouldn't you? These children were born in Israel, they have gone to school there, and they are no "threat" to Jewish purity. The Russian mobsters...those are a threat. Hate fueled politicians are a threat. These kids? Not so much. As a genetic Sephardi, I refused to have anything to do with Israel years ago because of the politics of hate, which I think are in contradiction with the true laws of our people. I am ashamed of Israel, and I fear the coming tide of antisemitism that will rise because of these politicians.

Bravo - it is because of Jews like you I still cling to some little hope for Israel. Good hearts. In some good people. Hopefully in many more than I suspect right now.

what arrogant rubbish. unfortunately, the fact that most israelis just don't seem to give a damn, is one more huge stain on the garment of our diminishing humanity.

Deporting the children of foreign workers is both the unwise & inhuman. Such children will speak Hebrew fluently, integrate well into Israeli culture and be likely candidates for conversion to Judaism. Allowing the children of foreign workers to remain in Israel is beneficial to both Israel and to the children themselves. They ought not be deported

Israel should by no means be considered a western country. In what western country can an immigration minister throw out citizens in order to preserve racial or ethnic purity?? Israelis wake up from your dream of a pure jewish state. Dont you realize the racist character of that desire. In todays cosmopolitan world nation states are a thing of the past, and jews of all people should strive for co-existance with other people and minorities and not do to others what has been done to you for centuries.

can you imagine a party in Germany saying they want to deport 'foreign', non-german jewish children to preserve Germany's nordic identity?????? no you can't. Because anyone who did that would be arrested in germany and the world's jews would cry and cry and cry about it and say another holocaust is going to happen. Jews and ADL will press for arrests. But an israeli party doing this? pft, no big deal! No one gets arrested. ADL says nothing about it, the israeli government is silent. yes, another day in Double Standards for jews and non-jews land.

As Israel is not in the EU your friend's daughter needs a work visa. If in her time in Britain she had bred, that child would have become a British Citizen with all the rights conferred. In fact there have been incidents of the children staying in the UK whilst their parents are deported. We are talking about people born in Israel, not those who arrive with work visas. And that is what makes it disgusting.

Are you all gone bunkers? Tell Yishai he should look up the history of deportation of POLISH Yews from Germany 1933-1938 Next he will deport all the secular's. I am not surprised that the American Jews are having second thoughts about Israel.

Are you suggesting the we do what those retards are trying to do???

Deport all the children to Gaza and the WB for now, and eventually you'll deport them out of there along with the rest of goyim. Truly amazing.

I really do not thing that this writer knows anything about Morocco. The policy in Morocco is to protect the Jews and to discourage their emigration. The government of Morocco also is interested in encouraging former Moroccan Jews and the descendants to re-establish relationships, business and otherwise, with the country. Anyone who has ever been to Morocco knows that there is no religious persecution of Jews in Morocco and any sort of attempt to endanger the security of the Jews in that country is ruthlessly resisted by the government. In Morocco there are Kosher butchers, bakeries, and restaurants, and Jewish schools, all indicators of a vibrant and still religiously-oriented Jewish community. Yes, the general trend of the young Jews in Morocco is emigration out of Morocco, but there is no danger of a forced expulsion or deterioration of their security at all. I have no love at all for Morocco, its people, and its culture, but this is the truth.

Foreign children growing up in Israel attending school with israeli friends, talks like other israeli friends, eats like them etc. The problem is Yishai and his party with their corrupt practices and forall extreme their own interpretation of the jewish life, makes jews run away from our believe in stead of bringing closer. In the former masorety mizrahi community foreignchildren never would have endangerd the jewish identity cause this identity is very strong. The jewish identity is upon us (jews) to preserve and keep strong. A strong jewish identity by all of us and not only made up by Shas,but al jews religious masorti liberal giloni etc. It is shas who weakend our identity

Vodka,prostition and Mafia. Are these the signs of Jewish identity that Eli Yishai and Shas are referring to? Opening a shop selling pork in the middle of the city.Does this help preserve Jewish identity? who is more likely to ruin our Jewish identity former USSR immigrants or the poor forein workers that do all the slave labour that Israeli's are not prepared to do. How many Shas children will be prepared to serve in the army in comparison to Foreign workers children? TIME TO ASK OURSELVES SOME SERIOUS QUESTIONS!!!

I am quite sure that nobody refuses out of principle to address the problem of illegal residents in whatever state. I am also quite sure that the problem is not addressed with racist slogans of national and religious purity in any state that can regard itself as a modern democracy. Draw your own conclusions.

"As for the foreigners,who attach themselves to the Lord...I will bring them to My sacred mount, And let the rejoice in My House of prayer...For My House shall be called A house of prayer for all peoples " Thus declares the Lord God, Who gathers the dispersed of Israel (Isaiah 56:6-8). Our God is not a racist.

To accuse Mizrahi Jew Yishai of racism is the same as accuse in racism Nelson Mandela.

Anybody born in Canada, even if their parents are illegally in the country, is automatically a Canadian citizen and has the right to reside in the country. The children's Canadian citizenship is not cancelled if the parents, who are illegally in Canada, are deported and take their Canadian-born children with them. I believe that the Canadia-born children who are overseas have to confirm their Canadian citizenship (children's and not the government's choice) when they reach a certain age.

What the hell are you thinking over there?

?Yishai: Deporting foreign children preserves Israel's Jewish identity? What a disgusting notion, and what a perversion of Judaism and Jewish values. -- http://blog.maskil.info/

They do and they have opened their gates. You have not, oh light unto the nations. Once again, zionism trumps Judaism and it has permeated every sector. Good luck.

They were brought in purely for work, too bad for them they're blood is not pure enough.

I personally think this is a disgusting political tirade by a man who shouldn't in politics, but I live in Canada so my recourse is severely limited. Personally, I think it is an abhorrent thing to say, and could only be justified if the numbers produced actually did constitute a real existential threat. but my question to you, many of whom will use this to deligitimize Israel as a country, rather than Shas as a political party is, Do you agree to what you've written universally? Should All children of foreign workers be granted citizenship? or only in Israel or only is it because it was once allowed and must therefore never change? And if you agree that all foreign workers have this right, where are you when Dubai expelled X number of Palestnian foreign workers (you can't expel citizens). Where are you when this happens around the world, and if you are not there, then yes I will call you an anti-semite and I think that's fair. alwayslearning@live.ca

Your point is not valid. In the US, you are right, there is tremendous anti-immigrant bias. We saw it in the health care debate. But the US government, at least not yet, does not ofered its authority to go around rounding up foreign workers and their children and subject them to deportation. Further, where are these rabbis in tending to this population being their advocates for that section of the population that is poor, powerless and strangers? Where is their moral example? Why do they show this concern for poor Sephardim but relate to the foreign population not out of a sense of cmpassion but contempt. In the US oppostion to the illegals is economic above all else. Here with this Yishai and his crew, the objection is a moral one. Hardly exemplary, more ike a judeoHindu mentality toward the untouchables.

Israel intends to bring to the Securty Council a proposal to stop the forced expulsion of Iran's Jewish community of 25,000-30,000. The Iranian Religious Council has ruled that there is a threat to the purity of the Shi'a community by the continued presence of the Jews in Iran. Their influence on Muslims is deemed pernicious and a danger to the moral life of Shi'a Islam, that must maintian the purity of its identity from outside foreign influences. Israel also registered its concern the the Kingdom of Morrocco, currently under a stricter form of Islam, will do the same with their remaining Jewish community of 15,000.

Allowing Eli Yishai to stay in Israel is liable to damage the state's Jewish morality, constitute a threat to civilized values and increase the danger of nausea.

Just a year ago a friend's daughter was deported from England as her work permit had come to an end and they refused to renew it - despite the fact that she had work as a stage set designer. Foreign workers come to Israel on limited work visas and then overstay their welcome - in the meantime they have kids. For the record, I am aganst deprting these particular children - but am in favor of limiting the issue of work permits to foreign workers in the future. This has nothing to do with racism. There are enough citizens of all races and religions here to validate this point.

I wonder what the reaction by the Isreali government if any nation in the world said: "we will deport jewish people to perserve (fill in blank) identity" It would bedlum. Thank god most other nations in the world dont operate like this.

You see the commandments regarding the care that must be taken toward the widow, the orphan and the stranger, for this rabbi, pertain only to Jews. He does not feel that he has any moral obligation to this riffraff. His overriding moral concern is purity of the race, not mingling with the foreigners who might lead astray the daughts and sons of Israel to a different code of morlaity; one where there is nodistinction between the Jew and non-Jew. A society is to be judge not by how they treat those who are like them in ethnicity or belief but those who are different. This Yishai may take scrupulous care in checking his caulifolower and rasberries, his wife might be properly covered and properly mikvaed, but these foreigners who do his menail work for his tribe must be banished, as sources of impurity.

The Torah/Hashem makes it very clear who is a Jew and it's not just "Hmmm, I feel like being a Jew, or Hmmm I feel like being black."

When the pound sterling was strong we were flooded with talented young Poles working hard and getting well paid. When sterling went down in exchange rate, many Poles moved to other EU countries with stronger currencies. Workers often accept contracts and then move on. Many Brits work on contracts in Arab countries. Working in a country doesn't give you or your children citizenship. It has nothing to do with race.

When British elections raise the issue of immigration and failed asylum seekers, let's face the fact that it is a code word for Muslims. Most Brits feel there are too many Muslims in the UK and wish there were some legal way of encouraging some of them to move to Muslim countries. Islamophobia in France -- Don't let's get started !

For Jewish values we have to look to the Diaspora Jews. For Zionist values we can trust in Israel.

In most countries there are workers on temporary contracts who are expected to return home when they finish. That has nothing to do with genocide. Citizens of the Philipines or Thailand may be super people and great workers but that does not mean they are Israeli citizens, just as the masses of Israelis in London and NYC are not automatically American citizens.

The concept of race and racial purity does not exist in Jewish thought. These concepts began in 19th Century Germany as part of the survival of the fittest social Darwinism. Jews share a religious culture and fear becoming outnumbered in their own country. It's the same with Europeans who oppose Turkey's entry into the EU because they fear being 'inundated' with Muslims.

Why should it be fine for some who come to overstay their visas, have no work permit and for the majority of others it is wrong? They are not asylum seekers but economic illegally living in Israel. The bad thing the government did was not deal with this a long time ago and not allowing such a situation to develop. That is not fair to the children but it is all about legality not danger to life.

I wonder what all those organs like Haaretz, liberal scholars etc. have been doing if the news from Israel become more hideous every week. Identity! If you have no economic problems anymore, you can think about developping a cruel identity like those male Israeli politicians. Yishai was one of the protagonists doing homophobic statements and behold: This year two gays have been killed in Tel Aviv, others wounded. We're waiting for the moment when Israelis will begin slaughtering foreign children. But no, you are soooo decent and Netanyahu is your great protector against the evil and inimical world. Even if there was no humane traits left in you anymore, if you could have positive feelings only for Jews (after checking their whole line of ancestry of course), you'd still be proud of your unique identity which you'd go on to defend against any "liberal" (or worse: "leftist") criticism. It's still better to burn hundreds of Torah rolls than to deport a single innocent foreign child.

Israel needs to end proportional representation so that it can have stable governments. Racist garbage like this latest from Shas and its realistic threat to bring down the government prevents Israel from taking any effective action. It's like the US Senate with its filibusters and holds. How can anyone--the US, the Palestinians, anyone--deal with Israel when the PM's word is subject to veto by extremist parties representing only a small fraction of Israel?

country , but held to a different standard . Like Russia does not want to be Russian , Hungary Hungarian , Poland Polish , Swiss Swiss , German German ......? What is wrong preserving national identity especially for a such a small country ? Everybody does it , but only Israel is singled out .

I did read every comment. The results are self explanatory, you decide: Primitive,religious uneducated, bigot,fundamentalist,Minister of racism,Yishai/Benizri-one of a kind,shas xenophobia,ugliest, inhuman, despicable,hypocritical,racist, racial purity; and they ALL belong to shas, it's boss Yishai.Just shows what they do to the state of Israel in the name of religion. -Departing shas would preserve Israel's dignity. -This Govt. will destroy your country. A smart minister (yet to be found)would suggest that instead of creating this uproar," lets keep the 1200 kids,reduce by the same # the quantity of new workers,reduce by the same # Israelis from the unemployment,and cut off their stipend if they refuse the work offered. I know they are not all con- artists, but.....

trivial sloganeering . The whole thing comes down to observing the immigration law as it is done in any other country , especially European countries . The parentage of diversity in Israel is still much higher then in any country beside USA .

Children come with parents as part of the package you can't deport the parents who are in the country either illegally or came in legally but overstayed their visa because compared to what they came from Israel is paradise. If we grant residency or citizenship to these children then everytime an illegal comes along all they need to do is have a child then they can stay forever. These children are not the issue its the adult & once we let one batch stay then we will be flooded by illegals & the courts will take their side because the precident has been set. These people are not refugees in fear of their lives they are poor people who want to abuse the Israeli system to increase their living standard. The children can legally take up citizenship in the country their parents came from. Letting these people stay will long term damage the jewish majority & hurt the econonmy. Also how can we justify no right of return for palestinians but allow Filipinos to stay?

Of course, every country does something to control immigration, but as so often with Israel, it's the overtones of ethnic and religious cleansing that offend with Israel. Imagine if a British government said it was going to deport some Jewish or Muslim illegal immigrants in order to preserve the Anglo-Saxon and Christian identity of the UK. Would you be happy with that? I know I wouldn't.

Under the conventions on genocide, it is considered genocidal to forcibly alter the demographic of a territory. In this case, Yishai is talking about forcibly removing the non-chosen people in open pursuit of a more racially pure territory. This is borderline genocidal.

I though this kind of speeches were common in 1930s europe but not now. Here is the double standard by the world that does not accuse israel of racism. If similar things were said in any other country a hell would break loose. But israel..no...

could you just imagine the storm of protest and the accusations that would ensue? A disgusting example of racism at it's worse coming from a people subjected to the worse form of racism in recent modern history. Is this the Israel envivaged by Ben Gurion?

Unfortunately Israel has ceased to be a " light onto other nations " a long time ago. You must be one of those responsible for that.

Please can somebody clarify? I thought that children born in any country have the citizenship of said country. Is Israel any different?Will the children be separated from their parents? If yes, well, this smacks of slavery times, families torn apart and so on... One way or the other,deportation of children is a shame.I can't believe this is regarded as representing Jewish values.Why are you letting those people ( Shas et alia ) get the upper hand?

How hypocritical of Eli Yishai, as leader of the Shas cult, he and Benizri (now doing jail time) were responsible for brining in asian workers, and now he is deporting their children. This rascist is the only threat to Jewish identiy and not a bunch of innocent children whose only crime was being born while the Rascist Shas party has controll of the interior ministry. Splitting little children up from their mothers and deporitng them is this the Jewish values Mr Yishai is so keen to promote.

for those living abroad or unfamiliar with Israel's economy, we have enough african refugees pouring in and enough existing poverty that israel truly cannot take in more poor foreigners. however, if you want to open the floodgates of YOUR country, be my guest.

This is not racism. Or uniquely Jewish values. These kids' parents knew the deal - and overstayed their visas ILLEGALLY. Now they are playing the victim card. Canada and other countries regularly send such folks back to their home countries. But of course different rules apply to Israel...

... under discussion is a group of still innocent children who love Israel, seek to identify themselves with us, know no other reality...while their parents serve us by working at the meanial tasks that Israelis balk at fulfilling themselves... ... what you probably have in mind is preserving Bibi's current coalition at all costs, even if some costs are inhuman and dispicable...

In over 3000 years, Jews preserved their identity and even prospered while being minorities in other coutnries. Ramabam wrote his writings in Arabic in Egypt in the 1200s? So how could foreigners living in Israel threaten that identity? Shas' leader's Xenophobia is the uggliest threat to that identity.

What excatly do they contribute?Foreign workers work.

... small mindedness, and total lack of empathy... Begin in his time welcomed the Vietnam boat-people... never for a moment entertaining the idea of harm-to-the-Jews... Better that Shas should abandon its authority over immigrants and immigration, before Israel abandons the last shreds of consideration for a group of children who love Israel and identify themselves with us... Better that Yishai concern himself with the likes of Beneziri who made illicit deals to bring in more Chinese laborers than legally permitted...

"An intifada was linked to Sharon`s entrance into the Aksa mosque, thereby poluting it with his non-Muslim presence." the second intifada began not because Sharon was 'polluting' (WTF?) the Al Aqsa Mosque (he actually only went to the Dome of the Rock and not to the mosque) but because he is a right wing fascist and war criminal (remember Sabra and Shatila?)

It must be almost unique in having a minister of racism, but Israel goes one better; it has several.

Yishai like all fundamentalists, is the "Owner of the Truth". His "truth" is totally removed from decent human behavior and the essence of our existence - as a nation founded on ingathering of our fellow human beings. His "truth" is that of a "borderline personality". He has yet to come to terms with the realities of life - beyond his circle of God botherers.

Jews born in Germany to families that lived their for centuries were stripped of their citizenship. Yishai is not calling for the extermination of foreign workers illegally working in Israel. Every nation has a right to control immigration and citizenship. The US and European nations are struggling with similar issues of foreign immigrant workers and their families that will continue to flood their countries for economic reasons. I am ashamed of Israelis that are "ashamed" of being Israeli, because of trumpted up charges against our nation.

What planet do these religious Neanderthals come from. Were they born on planet earth... they actually walk among us as equals. They partake of society, contribute nothing and expect obedience as if by some divine right. Does God speak to the religious in the Shas party via direct e-mail. Or is authority bestowed by some providential decree. Man... this is the 21st century and somebody needs to tell them where to go.... now would be a good time.

You're obviously right -- BUT Shas is mainly Jews from Arab countries, so a better comparison might be Saudi ASrabia where non-Muslims are carefully separated to avoid contamination. Bin Laden's original complaint was the presence of American non-Muslim soldiers inside Saudi. An intifada was linked to Sharon's entrance into the Aksa mosque, thereby poluting it with his non-Muslim presence.

Well said Gideon.... I is good to know that people like you still exist in the state of Israel and are not shy to expose the real threat to the existance of their country....... I saw the writing on the wall as a kibbutz member living next to the Gaza stip and seeing arab children toiling in the fields of israili moshavim thirty years ago.... when Begin was hailed as the 'king of Israel' and seeing posters declaring the expulsion of undesirables....what has changed ??? All demanded then by these same primitive uneducated religious bigots of the right

Isn't it more likely that these few children will assimmilate and eventually become Jewish? There have always been some non-Jews living in Israel, even in Biblical times. Only if they are idolatrous should they be encouraged not to polute the sanctity of the Land.

Simple: a measure or report critical of Israel is always racist and antisemitic, a measure by Israel against non-Jews is never racist.

Being a light unto other nations, i.e. doing the right thing preserves Israel's Jewish Identity

Is Israeli Jewish Identity mentioned when talking about killing hundreds of children and babies in Gaza, women, elderly...?

what a shame for a country that hope to be considered modern and democratic! However rather do not let them in than throwing them out after they made an honorable life here... Shame!

....that is simply what the orthodox and right- wing part of the Israeli population believes in. It is in one line with "all the West Bank land is ours".... ....or "Jordan is Palestine".

Unfortunatley what is Foreign, is hard work for the lower socio-economic Israeli population. The need for Foreign workers arose only because the Israeli's prefered not to work in the fields and in care-giving. The very same power -base of Shas are the ones that caused Foreign labor to be called in, in the first place . Rather these people than the false Jewish papers from the former Soviet Union. HAL.

although you have a valid point, and i'm not saying what is happening is right, still there is a difference between deporting people and sending them to camps to be starved, tortured and murdered.

"Is liable to damage the state's Jewish identity......" quote Eli Yishai. Our Jewish identity seems to include VODKA -DRUNKENESS- and CRIMES that were never thought of back in the 80'S in Israel. Body Guards -money laundering etc. Is Shas Party in power, what the people of Israel want or deserve? These Foreign workers put the Israeli workers to shame both for their industriousness and fair play. The children deserve a place here in the sun. OUST SHAS FROM GOVERNMENT. HAL.

There may be reasons to deport foreign workers, family members..but don't start blemishing Judaism with this act. This act and not the presence of a few thousand "goyim is a threat to our identity. Our country Jewishness must reside in the way we live our lives, Yes: preserving our identities but not by hiding behind a wall of isolationism. Raise a jewish family, but with our doors wide open to the world like Abraham and his tent.

Interior Minister and Shas Party chairman Eli Yishai seems to have much in common with words spoken in Germany in 1933 with regards to the jews.......... Yet again Israel is showing a side of its character that jews who live in the real world will not tolorate and will further alienate those that yes, they need...both economically and politically Countries are turning away from Israel with embarrassment,and I suggest that it is nearing the point whereby South Africa found itself under Apathied an became a pariah. I am ashamed to have lived and served militarily in such a country of jewish bigots and racists who now have such a position of power in Israel

"Allowing these children to stay in Israel 'is liable to damage the state's Jewish identity, constitute a demographic threat and increase the danger of assimilation,' he said." So is allowing me and my children to stay, and most of the Israeli left - mostly the descendants of the Zionist pioneers: secular Jews of European origin. Wanna have a go at us too, Eli? The greatest demographic threat to what's left of Israel's Western and secular identity is Eli Yishai's primitive, backward, uneducated, religion-infested, narrow-minded and welfare-dependant sector of the population with their frightening reproduction rate.

Allowing these children to stay in Germany "is liable to damage the state's Aryan identity, constitute a demographic threat and increase the danger of assimilation," he said.

were also meant to preserve Germany's Aryan identity.

This is what the religious parites are! Israel distances itself more and more from being a human society. Accepting or just allowing those remarks from a jewish/Israeli minister and party head is like listening/agreeing to what Nazi supporters are calling for against Jews.

I dont believe what I am reading, its disgusting

This is Part 2 --Unfortunately mr Yishai, the unthinkable occurred. Mother nature kicked in and, the Jewish male decided to have some 'race mixing' of their own.Et Voila!love conquers all. Just in case your English is not perfect___Jews fathered these 'beautiful' children,and they are beautiful.(if they are not jewish, then their father are Goyim,NO?).I know, I know, the " purity of the race"was the rage in the insane world of the 30's, the 40's, but today?. You're sure you want to deporte children mr. Yishai? If you are unable to resist, we Israelis, will be delighted to accept your ABDICATION. Would Yesterday suit You. Sincerely, a real Jew, an Israeli Jew.

Shabbat and G-d bashing "Jews" (many of whom work for the Interior Ministry are "A-OK"??!!! And then there are the multitude of Catholics, Ethiopians, Russian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Fundamentalist Christians (like CFI, Christian Embassy, etc. etc. etc....)who live here and try to convert people every day. Is anybody throwing them out? Come on people-look at the obvious

Are deporting little children becoming a jewish tradition mr. Yishai? What a big heart you have,postponing it until the end of school year, so they can polish their hebrew,and spread this beautiful new/old language in their new country of adoption. Had you removed your eyes once in a while from your 'sacred' books, and put a thinking instead of a kippah,also once in awhile, you would have learned how this Jewish State reached this UGLY development. In a nutshell...After 60 years of hard labor (blood,sweat,tears)A Churchill favorite, Israelis felt that they earned a respite from physical/manual labor.No more garbage collection, no more household chores,no more street sweeping, or orange picking or construction, etc.And they decided to import help from abroad, so they (Israelis) can enjoy the fruit of their labor;Overseas trips,fine dining,fashion from Paris, Rome, NY.,late model cars,ballet/piano for their little darlings. etc.All the good life, (la Dolce Vita). Unfortunately, mr. Yish

Deporting children for religious/racialistic reasons degrades our Jewish identity. It is anti-Jewish reasoning that contradicts the basis of freedom or Zionism because, as the Hagadah reminds us, we were slaves in Egypt etc. etc.

Elie Yishai is a corrupt politician, who tried to rescue from jail his buddy Benizri, convicted for bribery and breach of trust. But this is OK, for him this is a perfect Jewish identity of the State of Israel. But when it comes to a handful of little kids, who were born and grew up in Israel, he is afraid. What about Jewish humanitarian tradition? Kol ha-kavod, Elie Yishai. I am ashamed of being Israeli, if you represent me.

This sounds oddly familiar with something said about 60 years ago ...Does Yishai really believe that his excuse is credible ...When will Israeli authorities learn that racism and bias never work and only compound the already bad feelings towards this country.

more democratic, less xenophobic countries a politician who utters slogans like this would be forced to resign in shame.. Not in the Israel of 2009 though!

With all due respect to our immigration overlords, are not the vast majority of our CIS/FSU/chever haamim citizens (of whome I've only very occasionally met a real jewish one, and I get around a lot) presenting a more pressing issue to the jewish identity of the state. And what incentive do Shas, or anyone else for that matter, offer for conversion? Klum. And every weekend planeloads fly out to get married in cyprus or prague. To paraphrase and expand on a non-jewish journalist, what's the point of existing as a jewish state, when we have christian soldiers who barely speak hebrew, manning road blocks and detaining people who have been here for much much longer, and we probably have more in common with (including theologically). Shas, you do some very good work (sometimes), but please focus on the real issues.

I'm sorry but this is far out wrong and you are creating Anti-Semitism. An Adult is one thing and a child is another. A child can not tell you if they are a Jew or not until they are mature. You continue this sort of thing while our ranks grow smaller and smaller and while our enemies are legion.

Good that we have Ishai - Israel should remain jewish in its caracter

Shas knows only to take money from the country for education not worth anything in the real world. the migrant workers are enlisted into the army, but Shas members try to get out of this dutyfor the most part.

What about the 300,000 russians that are not jewish. Do they help preserve Israel's jewish identity? The conditions governing the "Law of return" also need to be reassessed.

To deport 1200 children who born in Israel is not a Jewish Identity it is a racist identity.

Mr. Yishai is shy a cylinder or three. Let him "abdicate" responsibility for the Immigration Authority. In the end, Israel will be stronger and better off.

Yishai should follow in the footsteps of Tziki Sela. Without Shas in the coalition government, there is a good chance that Kadima could join.Who needs Shas? Yishai has a very short memory.When his friend and fellow politician Minister Benizri was sentenced,he asked Shimonr Peres to pardon him on the grounds that the Sephardi Jews had been persecuted all the years. Is he not persecuting the foreign workers and their children?

If this isn't racism, then what is? What makes one group of people so special and chosen? If all human beings are equal, how can anyone claim superiority over others?? and talk about democracy in the same breath!

What will Israel do about that 20% of it's population that is not Jewish? Must they not be deported to ensure Jewish Identity? Are ALL of Israel's Jews willing to aspire to, and condone of, the Racial policies of the Third Reich? It would seem so, and that is a shame.

low in Israeli politics. This government will destroy your country...and you will all be to blame.