Israel plans a new humanitarian disaster

And it's not against the Palestinians this time.  Here's Ha'aretz on how and where Israel intends to deal with African migrants:

The detention compound being built in the south for African migrants will accommodate up to 30,000 people, despite Defense Ministry statements that it would house 12,400, an Interior Ministry protocol shows......

The High Court of Justice denied on Thursday a petition filed by the civil rights group Bimkom Planners for Planning Rights against the project's exemption from certain planning regulations. The court also denied the NGO's request for an injunction to stop the work. 

Nir Shalev of Bimkom contended the planned tent town and detention facilities would create "awful living conditions. I hope the Knesset or the courts will grasp this and stop the imminent humanitarian disaster."

That's strange because it seems the State of Israel actively encourages people from abroad to go there and live.

Bill Clinton tells truth shock!

Gabriel has written about the unconcealed racism of the newer arrivals to Israel and how various apologists try to explain it away. I actually hadn't noticed that Bill Clinton (the American Secretary of State's husband) has come out and spoken of pretty much the same thing.

The former US president claimed that the million-strong community of Jews who emigrated from former Soviet states after the collapse of Communism was generally more opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state than other Israelis.

Portraying Russian youngsters as one of "the hardest core" groups against the division of the Holy Land, Mr Clinton said: "This presents a staggering problem. It's a different Israel. Sixteen per cent of Israelis speak Russian. They've just got here," he told reporters in New York.

What drew my attention is the Israeli department responsible for the settlement of new settlers, Aliyah (here), Absorption (there) and Diaspora (and everywhere) Committee, has called on Bill Clinton to apologise.

Committee chairwoman Knesset Member Lia Shemtov (Israel Our Home) said, “Clinton should apologize, especially after the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv refused even to send a written reaction to the committee's session.” The committee had invited U.S. Ambassador in Israel James Cunningham to participate in the hearing, but he stayed away and did not send anyone to represent him.

The U.S. Embassy stated in response, “The administration is not responsible for comments made by a private citizen who has a right to speak his mind, as is customary in Israel as well.”

Sources in the Knesset noted that the American claim that Clinton is a private citizen is belied by the fact that the American government still pays him a pension and supplies him with an entourage of assistants, and noted that Clinton still represents the United States in various world forums.

"The Olim {immigrants] from the former Soviet Union are Zionists who love their country and want to live their lives in security and peace, like any other citizen,” MK Shemtov said. “Some of them have been killed by bullets fired from guns that Clinton gave the terrorists.”

I've got to say that old Bill does like his stereotypes. Remember his "Irish drunks from a bar" gaffe? Anyway, let's see if he apologises...

Here's a comment from Gabriel that deserves more prominence since I refer to his post in this one:

the point I made is that the idea Clinton shares with the Israeli Ashkenazi mainstream which consists of his neoliberal friends, the idea that Russian racism is part the cultural baggage brought by the Russian immigrants from abroad, is itself racist. In Israel, the racism of the Russian immigrants is not explained away, rather, the mainstream uses it to rally the votes of the ashkenazis for the just as racist, if more sophisticated, parties of the center "left."

The Russians are more racist than average because they are insecure as Israelis and need to prove themselves in order to climb the social ladder. And in Israel, that's how you prove your belonging.

Meanwhile Israeli MKs are still seeking an apology from Bill.

Keep your womb shut and work, woman!

Col. (res.) Yitzhak ‘Tziki’ Sela, Commander of the Interior Ministry’s ‘Oz’ Unit which arrests illegal immigrants and deports them, gave an interview to Ma’ariv Wednesday in which he slammed the organizations that have been protesting against the government’s intention to crack down on illegal foreign labor.

“These groups, those who protest against us, the ones that call me ‘Goebbels’ and a Nazi, are anarchists who want the destruction of the state of Israel, with three exclamation marks,” Sela said. “They should be condemned. This is criminal behavior, pure and simple.”

“As for the children,” Sela said, “in the end the result will be that with all due sorrow and pain, there is no choice. There is a sizeable group of 1,200 children who do not have a legal permit and that is it. They are just guests here.”

When asked again about the decision to deport foreign workers’ children he asked: “What do you mean children? Where does the line pass, I want to know. This is a painful and complex issue but the public pressure that has been brought to bear here is unbelievable.”

Asked if the deportation of children was ‘inhuman’ Sela answered: “The State of Israel has made a decision. These are people who knew the law that says they cannot have children. They are adult people and they came here of their own free will. Nobody is forcing them to be here. I carry out policy. If every child receives (legal) status, we will find ourselves with a million and a half foreigners in a few years. That is the watershed from our point of view.”

“We mean business,” he stated. “I am telling the illegal migrants, take yourselves from here and go away willingly. We will give you the plane tickets. Get out of here.” (Israel National News)

Shame on these anarchists that haven't got the memo about not comparing Israelis to Nazis!