Thursday 18 June 2009

World Refugee Day

Saturday is World Refugee Day. Assafaid - The Aid Organisation for Refugees & Asylum Seekers in Israel (no functional website, unfortunately, but a facebook page here) have arranged an event at Levinsky Park in south Tel Aviv, just by the Central Bus Station. There'll be food, fun, information and the opportunity to learn a bit about one of Israel's invisible communities...

(actually, I'm told that the music is going to be pretty good - aside from dj Yano spinning Reggae, Funk and 'African' music, they'll be PAs from Asaf Avidan and the Mojos, Keren Ann and Alma Zohar)

For what it's worth, my opinion about the refugee issue in Israel is that it is lethal to pretend that it doesn't exist - and the relative silence in the media and from the charlatans in the Knesset, after all the hoo-hah last year is the equivalent of hiding one's head in the sand and exposing one's thinking parts.

Incidentally: Is there anyone that can tell me about the Vilna'i Bill apparently passing through the Knesset at the moment? I can't find any information about it (in English) anywhere...

3 comments:

Tim said...

So roughly, anyone trying to cross the border fence can expect imprisonment of up to 5 years. That's increased to 7 years if you happen to come from an enemy country - which includes Sudan. The law preserves the procedure of "hot return" to transfer refugees back across the fence within 72 hours of capture. Also suspects can be held for up to 18 days without being brought before a judge. The officer issuing a deportation order is under no obligation to meet the refugee. It's lawful also to arrest women and children.

Not pleasant :(

[Translated from:
http://blogs.bananot.co.il/showPost.php?itemID=5267&blogID=18]

x said...

Thank you Tim, very much appreciated.I'll look at the website later, either with a (much) clearer head, or with Mrs Goy to hold my hand and guide me through the Hebrew. She thinks that she heard on the radio that, in addition to what you've posted, that there will also be penalties for Israelis/residents whom knowingly aid refugees...

ilona@israel said...

its a great idea-though mass meadia does not hide this fact.ecpecially not israel.lol