****ed if they do! ****ed if they don't!

[JohnRN]

Friday, May 21, 2004 - During his presentation on current issues affecting Israel and the Jewish world to the Knesset Immigration and Absorption Committee last week, Chairman of the Jewish Agency Sallai Meridor slammed the German government for enticing Jews to immigrate to Germany under refugee status.

"The German government is enticing Jews to emigrate from the Former Soviet Union to Germany under refugee status, despite the fact that the State of Israel has already existed for over 56 years," said Meridor, who was infuriated by recently released figures indicating that around 19,000 Jews immigrated to Germany from the FSU in 2003, as opposed to only 12,000 who came to Israel in the same year. "The government of Israel must take serious steps to counter Germany since this situation drastically affects immigration to Israel."

"No matter what we do we will be criticized," a representative from the German Embassy in Tel Aviv responded to Meridor's attack. "If we don't welcome Jews with open arms we will be accused of anti-Semitism and if we do welcome them with open arms, we are accused of enticing them away from Israel," he said. "Mr. Meridor's position is understandable. We don't want to hinder Jews from going to Israel. But if you want to have a favorable atmosphere for Jews in Germany, you have to accept that Jews will choose to live there."

Hundreds of thousands of Jews have flocked to Germany since 1991, when Germany modified its refugee policies to accommodate Jews fleeing anti-Semitism and economic upheaval in the FSU. Under its Contingent Refugee Act, Germany supplies Jewish immigrants with benefits including language courses, unemployment benefits, health coverage, pensions and even rent, in accordance with a State treaty administered through the Central Council of Jews in Germany meant to reflect the nation's "historic responsibility" to make amends for its Nazi past.

Under this Act, Germany took in a total of 19,262 Jewish immigrants from the Former Soviet republics in 2002, while Israel took in 18,878.

According to a spokesperson from the Jewish Agency, Germany's policy, which requires newcomers to be spread among Germany's 12 federal states in accordance with a numerical formula to share financial burden, is detrimental because it scatters the Jewish immigrants among more than 80 different towns across Germany, rather than allowing them to join major Jewish communities in cities such as Berlin, Frankfurt, and Munich. "Only about 50 percent of the Jews who emigrate to Germany become part of the Jewish community," he said.

"Germany doesn't care if the Jews who go there live a Jewish life; they just want to be able to say at the end of the 21st century that they have more Jews than they did before the Holocaust."

"The more favorable the conditions of a country, the more attracted Jews will be to live there," the German Embassy official dismissed the notion that Germany is trying to recreate its pre-war Jewish community. "Of course we want the State of Israel to keep its character. But, we also want Jews to feel as though they have a home in Germany."

Copyright 2004 Jerusalem Post. All Rights Reserved

Is this a bit strange?

[sfga6970]

Is it strange, or part of a "National Healing Process" to try to make amends for the actions of the Government during the Holocaust?

On the other side of the coin, these people were born and raised in Europe and maybe they don't want as drastic a life-style change that Israel would provide. A much harsher environment and the constant fear of war might make the lure of Israel less attractive than that of Germany. Just my opinion, but I'd rather live in Germany than Israel.

[JohnRN]

"No matter what we do we will be criticized," a representative from the German Embassy in Tel Aviv responded to Meridor's attack. "If we don't welcome Jews with open arms we will be accused of anti-Semitism and if we do welcome them with open arms, we are accused of enticing them away from Israel," he said

I loved this bit. What with "pundits" and "geniuses" like Mr. Grim writing up on "How bad Europe is"

[Woodmonkey]

I don't see what the problem is here. Germany's Nazi's decimated the Jewish population and now Germany is trying to build it back up. Perhaps they don't want the Islamics to dominate? I could easily be reading more into that than there is though.

I'd rather live in Germany than Israel also.

[odannyboy]

Originally Posted by John.

Is this a bit strange?

The more favorable the conditions of a country, the more attracted Jews will be to live there," the German Embassy official dismissed the notion that Germany is trying to recreate its pre-war Jewish community. "Of course we want the State of Israel to keep its character. But, we also want Jews to feel as though they have a home in Germany."

Would this same German Embassy official say this:

"We in Germany feel that we have taken an anormous amount of refugees into this country recently and want this nation to retain it's traditonal character"

Of course not. He would be crucified if he were to say that. But shouldn't a person be able to say that if backed up with statisitics that may show a high unemployment rate or crime rate by reugees seeking citizenship or the right to reside there? I wonder if this is really a racist notion, or just wanting to preserves one identity as a nation?

The United States is a nation of immigrants, always has been, it is what made this country the greatest nation in the world. But does there come a point when a nation is saturated with aliens and refugees and really can take in no more?

Just a question, that's all. I have always wondered about this in regards to all the immigration that I hear is taking place throughout Europe. I had heard that Germany has a large Turkish population. Is it ever okay to say "We can no longer accept immigrants from Turkey"?

And then this whacko says that Germany should not provide encouragement for immigration?