Yossi Schwartz, ISL the section of the RCIT in Israel/Occupied Palestine, 20.03.2022
The Bennett government’s response to Russia’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine and the suffering of the Ukrainian non-Jewish refugees not only brings to mind the US policy of closed gates to the Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany but its inhuman approach to the Palestinian refugees it forced out of Palestine and its barbaric bombing of Gaza and Lebanon.
The only difference is that in the case of Russia the Western imperialists have imposed severe sanctions on Russia while they back Israel’s war crimes and were happy when Russia did the same in Syria when the Western imperialists did the same in Iraq.
The Parallel between Putin’s Russia and the Zionist state is not escaping many union activists, human rights organizations and students around the world.
Israel welcomed Ukrainian Jewish refugees (actually new immigrants) and hope to airlift tens of thousands more to settle them in the West Bank. However, it does not welcome Ukrainian non-Jews. Under pressure, Israel said it would accept 25,000 refugees, but only 5,000 non-Jews would be accepted. In addition, it announced that Ukrainian non-Jews would be granted a three-month visa upon payment of a $3,000 fee refundable on their departure from Israel, and this from refugees fleeing with little more than the clothes on their back. Under widespread criticism of the proposal, Israel eventually withdrew the fee requirement.
To be sure it is not only the policy of the Minister of Interior Ayelet Shaked that is placing a cap on non- Jewish refugees.
“Prime Minister Naftali Bennett came to the defense of Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked on Sunday, saying at a cabinet meeting that she should not bear the brunt of criticism by those dissatisfied with the country’s policies toward refugees fleeing the fighting in Ukraine…Though over 13,000 refugees have arrived in the country since Russia invaded its neighbor, Israel has been slammed for focusing on bringing over as many as possible of those with Jewish descent who are entitled to immigrate, while placing a cap on the number of those who are not. As war pummels Ukraine and millions flee the country, Israel has come out against taking in large numbers of refugees who are not eligible for citizenship under the Law of Return, a policy spearheaded by Shaked.” [i]
When Zelensky asked Israel for greater moral support, Israeli officials told him they “would not tolerate” such ingratitude. Bennett even threatened to end his “mediator role” which is no more than a mailbox.
On Sunday evening Zelensky in his typical demagogy spoke to the Zionist parliament using the Zoom. He said:
“February 24 — the date of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — was also the date on which the Nazi party was founded in Germany in 1920. One hundred and two years after the Nazis, the order was given to begin the Russian invasion of Ukraine…This is a total and unjustified war that is meant to destroy our nation, our cities, our culture, our children. The Russians use the terminology of the Nazi party, want to destroy everything. The Nazis called this ‘the final solution to the Jewish question” [ii]
This is demagogy because the aim of the brutal invasion of Russia is not to kill all the Ukrainians but force Ukraine to stay out of NATO and recognizes the legitimacy of Donetsk and Luhansk, backed by Russia that has been fighting Ukrainian government forces since 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea and supported the establishment of separatist enclaves in the eastern part of the country.
As this article is written the High Court of Justice is hearing a petition against the government’s policies on refugees fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“The petition, submitted by a private law firm but with the backing of the Ukrainian embassy, argues that the government’s cap on refugee entries violates international agreements between the nations as well as international conventions to which Israel is a party, and was not imposed with proper authority” [iii]
“The state has requested that the High Court of Justice throw out the petition against Israel’s policy regarding Ukrainian refugees, ahead of a ruling on the matter scheduled for Sunday…The state argued in response on Friday that those fleeing the war can seek refuge in neighboring European countries, adding that refugees who have “no affiliation with Israel” are not under its jurisdiction” [iv]
The more left-leaning Jews are horrified by Israel’s attitude to the refugees.
“The parallel between the Russian dictator’s invasion of a neighboring country to fulfill his imperial designs, and Israel’s 70-year history of imposing its will on the Palestinians and neighboring Arab states, is also clear to much of the world.
Indeed, both Russia and Israel conquer and absorb the territory of their neighbors, in defiance of international law. Both are facing investigations over alleged war crimes at the International Criminal Court. Both nations demand that rivals and enemies bow to them, or face annihilation. They both created massive military machines to accomplish these goals. And, in both cases, it is becoming clear that no amount of firepower can subjugate people who refuse to be vanquished or erased” [v]
Indeed we see the result of the exposure of the racist nature of the Zionist state in the growing support for the Palestinians on the campuses. Today we read in the Jerusalem Post
“University student-led campaigns to boycott Israel are not an uncommon sight, but a new student movement at Tufts University (Boston) is taking a form rarely seen before in similar campus boycott efforts Tufts’ Students for Justice in Palestine chapter this week called for a strategic boycott against Israel, asking students to sign the group’s pledge not to buy Israeli snacks sold on campus (such as Sabra hummus). But in what some observers say is a new and troubling tactic, the group also asks students to refuse to join campus groups or programs “that normalize or benefit” Israel, including the student groups Tufts Friends of Israel, TAMID, and Tufts J Street, a campus branch of the liberal Middle East policy group that advocates for a two-state solution The campaign also urges students to not study abroad in Israel or participate in Birthright Israel; not to take a university program entitled Visions of Peace that focuses on a dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians, and not to enroll in a summer fellowship supported by the Anti-Defamation League” [vi]
The Anti-Defamation League that loves to accuse every person critical of Israel’s crimes against the Palestinians had to admit that it supports the US police racist brutal police against the American blacks.
“In the summer of 2020, with protests against racism and abusive policing swirling in the United States, the Anti-Defamation League defended its programs in Israel training American police officers from critics who said they imparted violent and militarized tactics…The ADL is one of three groups that have offered training trips to Israel for US police officers. More than 1,000 people, mostly senior law enforcement officials, have gone on trips run by the ADL, the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs and the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange” [vii[
Down with Russian imperialism!
Down with the US and NATO!
Open the gates to Non-Jewish Refugees!
Support the resistance to the Russian invasion! No political support for the Ukrainian government!
The right of return of the Palestinian refugees!
For Palestine red and free from the river to the sea!
Endnotes:
[i] https://www.timesofisrael.com/bennett-tells-ministers-to-stop-using-shaked-as-a-punching-bag-on-refugee-issue/
[ii] https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-march-20-2022/
[iii] https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/high-court-hears-petition-against-ukrainian-refugee-cap-proceedings-broadcast-live/
[iv] https://www.timesofisrael.com/state-tells-court-ukrainians-without-lsraeli-affiliation-can-seek-refuge-in-europe/
[v] Richard Silverstein the Tikun Olam blog https://www.aljazeera.com/author/richard_silverstein_190307080127814
[vi] https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-701663
[vii] https://www.timesofisrael.com/adl-considered-scrapping-its-us-police-training-trips-to-israel-but-decided-not-to/