Some Israelis want to take in Syrian refugees. Netanyahu says no.

[bemildred]

JERUSALEM — As Syrian refugees continued to pour into Europe over the weekend, some Israelis were calling on their government to open the border and allow in those fleeing the ongoing civil war in Syria.

But almost as soon as the discussion started, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discounted the possibility, saying, “Israel is a small, a very small country that lacks demographic and geographic depth.”

Instead, at his weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, the Israeli leader announced that construction had started on a fence along the country’s eastern border with Jordan — a possible pathway for war-weary Syrians to reach Israel but also a way for extremists from groups such as the Islamic State to infiltrate the Jewish state.

“We will not allow Israel to be flooded with illegal migrants and terrorists,” Netanyahu said in a statement.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/09/06/some-israelis-want-to-take-in-syrian-refugees-netanyahu-says-no/

[6chars]

1. What could possibly go wrong?

[bemildred]

2. Things seem to have gone wrong already.

The question is what to do about it?

[6chars]

3. I hope Israel can stay out of this conflict

Can't see any good coming out of that. In fact, could make things far worse. Obama should pressure our rich Arab allies in the Middle East to step up to the plate. Given the current Israeli/Palestinian situation, history with Syria, and tensions with the Muslim world, I don't see the proposal working well. Maybe there is a way for Israel to provide more humanitarian and logistical support, e.g., in conjunction with Jordan and Egypt. That might be a positive.

[bemildred]

4. The problem will be provocations by one side intended to get the IDF to go after another.

But yeah, it would be good to stay out of it. We will see if Bibi is up to the job.

[oberliner]

5. When Israel does help Syrian refugees they are accused of aiding ISIS

Or whatever their current iteration fighting there is called these days.

Kind of a lose-lose situation.

[no_hypocrisy]

6. Let the refugees live in the settlements.

The land isn't recognized as Israeli as it's "disputed".

[bemildred]

7. I like the way you think. nt

[bemildred]

8. Haunted by Holocaust, Israel Ponders Whether to Crack Door Open to Refugees

The world has been affected by the images of desperate refugees fleeing Syria, but for Israelis, the crisis cuts close to home, not only because the conflict they are fleeing is right across the border, but because pictures of the crowds at the Keleti train station and the marches across Europe are playing on the memories of Jews, reminding them of their parents and grandparents.

These images have had more of an impact than the newly iconic photo of the young boy washed up on the beach, especially when paired with Hungary’s Prime Minister saying refugees are unwelcome because they threaten “the Christian roots of Europe.”

The Israeli national identity is, after all, predicated on Jews never being in the position of wandering unwanted across the world again, unwelcome in neighboring countries, undertaking dangerous journeys to find a place willing to accept them, where they can rebuild their lives in dignity.

And so, it is reasonable that they should want the Jewish State to be among those offering a hand to those who are now in a similar position.

http://forward.com/opinion/320536/still-haunted-by-holocaust-israel-ponders-whether-to-crack-door-open-to-ref/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Main

[6chars]

10. It's not the Holocaust

These are refugees from a civil war between different violent Islamic extremists, not a people targeted for genocide. Countries should still reach out to help, but this is not about preventing a Holocaust. Half the population of Syria are refugees. It is true that the Yazidis were targeted for genocide, but for some reason that did not get any international call for sheltering Yazidi refugees. Maybe it would be a good idea to try to stop the civil war, although I understand that everyone opposes use of force.

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11. Thanks for clearing all that up. nt

[bemildred]

9. Israel to build fence to keep refugees out

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced the start of construction of a fence along Israel's border with Jordan after calls for Tel Aviv to take in Syrian refugees.

Netanyahu said on Sunday that he would not allow Israel to be "submerged by a wave of illegal migrants and terrorist activists".

"Israel is not indifferent to the human tragedy of Syrian and African refugees... but Israel is a small country, very small, without demographic or geographic depth. That is why we must control our borders", he said at the weekly cabinet meeting according to his office.

The announcement came a day after Isaac Herzog, Israeli opposition leader, said on Saturday that Israel should take in Syrian refugees, recalling the plight of Jews who sought refuge from past conflicts.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/09/israel-build-fence-refugees-150906125147720.html

[oberliner]

12. If they help out refugees they are accused of "lending al-Nusra a hand in Syria"

Or "aiding al-Qaida fighters wounded in Syria", as per several articles that have been posted here in the past.

[bemildred]

13. "Whatever you do, it's wrong."

I have not really thought about it much, but off the top of my head I would not think taking a lot of Syrian refugees in was a good idea. And I am very sure Bibi would have no idea how to handle the job if he did attempt it. Maybe some of the Palestinians, should be plenty of those to choose from.

Nevertheless this refugee crisis very much brings to mind chickens coming home to roost for all those folks who said the Syrian crisis would be contained, and who were sanguine about the other wars in the middle east, they were fine with it as long as they were not in their back yard.

I think we are just warming up the engines. That mess is just beginning to go bad, the whole Middle East is at war, Oman is the only one I can think of that is not at war with somebody. People are starting to move, and there will be more.

[6chars]

14. Chickens roosting

You are right - I think the situation is really bad - not just from a humanitarian perspective, but from a historical perspective, and as seriously as everyone takes it, it is not seriously enough. It can get a lot worse as wars often do, and world leadership is not where it needs to be on the matter. I don't know what to do - above my pay grade.