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2004-07-18 Israel-Palestine

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Posted by tipper 2004-07-18 12:20:55 PM|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 "...and take your money and buisnesses with you."

Posted by mojo 2004-07-18 4:17:12 PM|| 2004-07-18 4:17:12 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 Not a good development, IMO. For ex-Israeli Jews who are already threatened by local enemies, thiscould be seen as confirmation by both parties that they don't 'belong' where they are. For those who are content with the countries they're in, this will only raise doubts about where their loyalties might lie, amongst some of their neighbours. Sharon's intention may have been to shame countries like France, but he's probably also thrown fuel onto the embers of anti-semitism elsewhere.

Posted by Bulldog 2004-07-18 5:08:44 PM|| 2004-07-18 5:08:44 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 I don't think that Sharon's comments have any negative influence on people questioning the patriotism or loyalties of Jews. Nowadays so many people in Western nations have dual citizenship, it's accepted that a person may have loyalties to more than one nation.

But more importantly I think Sharon's comments subtly reflect a growing concern that Israel's population has increased at the lowest rate in 2003 since 1990, largely because of declining numbers of Jewish immigrants moving there. Israel needs to attract more immigrants, no doubt about it, if it's to survive as a vital nation. The average birth rate of Israelis will not be enough.
http://www.jafi.org.il/agenda/2001/english/wk4-5/7.aspIsrael's population grew by 1.9% (127,000) in 2002 - the lowest growth rate since 1990. The major reason for the decline in the growth rate is the drop in the number of new immigrants. 34,831 new immigrants arrived in Israel in 2002 - compared with 43,471 in 2001...Aliyah from has doubled in the past 15 years. Results of a recently published survey, "The Jews of France, Values and Identity," reveal that 6 percent said they would make aliyah "very soon" double the percentage of the last survey in 1988. That number was 12 percent among families with school-age children, and 28 percent among families with children attending Jewish schools. These figures were confirmed Jewish Agency data, which showed that aliyah from France doubled in 2002 to more than 2,500. On the other hand, percent of respondents said they had no intention of moving to Israel, up from 40 percent in 2002.

The survey, based on interviews with more than 1,000 heads of households was commissioned by the United Jewish Social Fund (FSJU), and France's United Jewish Appeal. It also revealed an aging population, increasing rates of intermarriage, and declining numbers of French Jews.

Conducted in January 2002, just at the beginning of a wave of attacks on French Jews and community institutions, Jews expressed concerned about their future in France -Nonetheless, while they placed terrorism, anti-Semitism and racism at the top of their concerns, some 90 percent of respondents expressed satisfaction with their lives in France.

Posted by rex 2004-07-18 5:34:26 PM|| 2004-07-18 5:34:26 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 true Rex, and the Arabs and Islamists breed like cockroaches

Posted by Frank G 2004-07-18 5:38:25 PM|| 2004-07-18 5:38:25 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 While you're right to point out Israel's demographic motive for attracting immigrants, I disagree with your dismissal of Sharon's raising the Jews-should-be-in-Israel announcement as harmless. Now I don't know how many people in the UK actually possess dual citizenship, but I'm sure it's a very low percentage, and only a small minority of them will be people of British origin who've adopted a foreign nationality later in life. Why should Jewish people who for the most part live comfortable lives free of discrimination or persecution suddenly find themselves being told they shouldn't be here? It could only make life more difficult, put it that way.

Posted by Bulldog 2004-07-18 5:52:33 PM|| 2004-07-18 5:52:33 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 Bulldog,
This is one of those 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' things for the Jews.

Israel was established precisely so that in the case of extreme antisemitism, the Jews would be guaranteed a safe haven. You'll notice that Sharon hasn't suggested mass emigration from, eg. the States, because the Jews are not at risk here, and so only the ideologues would desire to move, a very small number these days, as Israel's aliya (immigration) numbers show.

But, in places where the antisemites are active, a significant number -- however small -- of the country's residents have already deemed their Jews to be not-us. Such an attitude only thrives where the general atmosphere is already baseline anti-Jewish, and this will not change no matter how hard the Jews work to demonstrate that they are good sons of the soil. I know, my maternal grandfather earned an Iron Cross in the first World War, but the SS came looking for him all the same.

Posted by trailing wife 2004-07-18 10:14:19 PM|| 2004-07-18 10:14:19 PM|| Front Page Top

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