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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Israeli minister inflames racial tensions with attack on 'infiltrators' | Israeli minister inflames racial tensions with attack on 'infiltrators' |
| (8 days later) | |
| Israel's interior minister has risked further inflaming public sentiment against African migrants by saying that the area of Tel Aviv in which they are concentrated has become "the country's garbage can" and suggesting many of them are infected with HIV. | Israel's interior minister has risked further inflaming public sentiment against African migrants by saying that the area of Tel Aviv in which they are concentrated has become "the country's garbage can" and suggesting many of them are infected with HIV. |
| Eli Yishai, who said he was speaking out of "love for my country", repeated earlier calls for all migrants to be imprisoned "without exception". His comments, in an interview with Israel's Maariv newspaper to be published on Friday, followed a demonstration in Tel Aviv last week in which migrants were attacked and abused. Eleven youths appeared in courton Thursday accused of racially motivated attacks. | Eli Yishai, who said he was speaking out of "love for my country", repeated earlier calls for all migrants to be imprisoned "without exception". His comments, in an interview with Israel's Maariv newspaper to be published on Friday, followed a demonstration in Tel Aviv last week in which migrants were attacked and abused. Eleven youths appeared in courton Thursday accused of racially motivated attacks. |
| "Southern Tel Aviv has become the country's garbage can," Yishai said. "I'd suggest to all those bleeding hearts who speak out against me to take a few dozen infiltrators and house them in their neighbourhoods. Let them see them every day; let their children try to play in the playgrounds they're in. | "Southern Tel Aviv has become the country's garbage can," Yishai said. "I'd suggest to all those bleeding hearts who speak out against me to take a few dozen infiltrators and house them in their neighbourhoods. Let them see them every day; let their children try to play in the playgrounds they're in. |
| "Yesterday, a woman called me. Two Sudanese men chased her in the alleyways of Jerusalem. It could have ended in rape. Did you know that there are a lot of women in Tel Aviv who have been raped but are afraid to complain so that they don't get stigmatised as Aids carriers?" | "Yesterday, a woman called me. Two Sudanese men chased her in the alleyways of Jerusalem. It could have ended in rape. Did you know that there are a lot of women in Tel Aviv who have been raped but are afraid to complain so that they don't get stigmatised as Aids carriers?" |
| According to a health ministry spokesman quoted by Maariv, "99.9% of the migrants who come to work in Israel are not infected with any unique disease whatsoever". | According to a health ministry spokesman quoted by Maariv, "99.9% of the migrants who come to work in Israel are not infected with any unique disease whatsoever". |
| Yishai said that "infiltrators", along with Palestinians, were threatening the "Zionist dream". "There isn't another country that is as sensitive as we are to human rights," he said. | Yishai said that "infiltrators", along with Palestinians, were threatening the "Zionist dream". "There isn't another country that is as sensitive as we are to human rights," he said. |
| He called for more detention centres and camps in which to hold migrants. "We need to transform military bases in which we can imprison all of them without exception." Non-dangerous prisoners could be released early pending deportation to make room for "infiltrators who pose a far greater risk to public safety". | He called for more detention centres and camps in which to hold migrants. "We need to transform military bases in which we can imprison all of them without exception." Non-dangerous prisoners could be released early pending deportation to make room for "infiltrators who pose a far greater risk to public safety". |
| He said the army would be deployed to track down the migrants. "The infiltrators are going to reach the promised land but they aren't going to see it at all, only through bars ... they are going to be deported from here, either pleasantly or forcibly," he said. | He said the army would be deployed to track down the migrants. "The infiltrators are going to reach the promised land but they aren't going to see it at all, only through bars ... they are going to be deported from here, either pleasantly or forcibly," he said. |
| He dismissed accusations of racism. "I sound like a racist, a benighted man or a xenophobe, but I'm motivated by love for my country and the knowledge that I don't have another country." | He dismissed accusations of racism. "I sound like a racist, a benighted man or a xenophobe, but I'm motivated by love for my country and the knowledge that I don't have another country." |
| A second member of the government, deputy health minister Yakov Litzman, said Israel was spending more than 50m shekels ($13m) a year on health care for African migrants "at the expense of the weak population". "This must be stopped ... there is no reason for Israelis to pay such a dear price," he said. | A second member of the government, deputy health minister Yakov Litzman, said Israel was spending more than 50m shekels ($13m) a year on health care for African migrants "at the expense of the weak population". "This must be stopped ... there is no reason for Israelis to pay such a dear price," he said. |
| Official data presented to a parliamentary committee this week showed the crime rate among foreigners was significantly lower than among Israelis. In southern Tel Aviv, which has become a flashpoint for racial tensions, the percentage of crimes committed by foreigners was 13.5% although they make up 28.5% of the population. | Official data presented to a parliamentary committee this week showed the crime rate among foreigners was significantly lower than among Israelis. In southern Tel Aviv, which has become a flashpoint for racial tensions, the percentage of crimes committed by foreigners was 13.5% although they make up 28.5% of the population. |
| According to the population and immigration ministry, there are 62,000 migrants in Israel, the vast majority from Eritrea and Sudan. It said that 2,031 migrants entered Israel via Egypt this month, compared with 637 last May. The country's population is 7.8m. | According to the population and immigration ministry, there are 62,000 migrants in Israel, the vast majority from Eritrea and Sudan. It said that 2,031 migrants entered Israel via Egypt this month, compared with 637 last May. The country's population is 7.8m. |
| Israel granted asylum status to one applicant out of 4,603 applications in 2011, according to the US state department, which last week criticised Israel for its routine use of the term "infiltrators" to describe migrants. | Israel granted asylum status to one applicant out of 4,603 applications in 2011, according to the US state department, which last week criticised Israel for its routine use of the term "infiltrators" to describe migrants. |
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