USING THE DEAD TO SHAME/M.E. MIGRATION (GRAPHIC PIX)

[HairOfTheDog]

The Syrian refugee crisis is also a political hot potato in Israel.

Israel shares a border with Syria. But, it has not taken in any Syrian refugees, despite calls from some in the Israeli government and the general population.


^ Israeli Zionist Union head & opposition leader Isaac Herzog:
Israel is duty bound to absorb refugees from the civil war in Syria, Herzog said Saturday, speaking at a cultural event in Tel Aviv. “I spoke with the head of the Syrian opposition [in Europe], Kamel Labwani. It is incumbent on Israel to take in refugees from the war and push for the establishment of an urgent international conference on the issue,” the Zionist Union chairman said. “Jews cannot be apathetic when hundreds of thousands of refugees are searching for safe haven,” he said, referring to the plight of Europe’s Jews in the run-up to the Holocaust.


^ Yesh Atid MK Elazar Stern:
Stern called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take in a limited number of Syrians fleeing the fighting, urging him on Thursday “to save them, but also as a message to our own children.” “I call on you to do what [former Likud prime minister Menachem] Begin did and invite to Israel a limited number of Syrian refugees,” he said, referring to Begin’s decision to grant citizenship to 66 so-called Vietnamese boat people who were fleeing the communist regime at home. “I think that the State of Israel, because of the lessons of the Holocaust and the compliance of the world, cannot remain indifferent. I call on members of the Knesset, the public and rabbis to join me in this call. I believe that Diaspora Jews would also appreciate such a move,” Stern said.


^ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, discounted such pleas from Israeli leaders and citizens by saying, “Israel is a small, a very small country that lacks demographic and geographic depth.”

Instead, at his weekly cabinet meeting today, 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.

(HOTD: Well, Israel can build the fence and I can see the need there, but that doesn't mean they can't also take in some refugees.)

Refs:
http://www.timesofisrael.com/herzog-isra...-refugees/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worl...u-says-no/

[Mohammed]

It is sure going to be some interesting times in Europe. Maybe the Germans will face the same faith like the Americans when they had that huge number of immigrants coming to their country, hence ending up in reservations. Would be funny.

I think any picture that helps, go ahead. I could put up some pictures from children that we had here in Yemen, but they are way more disturbing than that little boy. There was a friend of mine with the UN who put up a picture of a huge list of the names of all the dead people that tried to cross from Africa to Europe which was laid out at the entrance to the EU building in Brussels. I thought it might be a good idea to put that list in every public place in every harbor along the African coast where they start their journey, to make them aware of the dangers, as it seems that all are pretty ignorant of that and have no idea what they are getting into.

On the BBC there was recently an article from a Welsh security guy who is living on the island of Kos in Greece, and he says by now it is simply a matter of fact, daily occurrence to have dead bodies washed up on the beach that nobody really reacts to anymore. A bit like seaweed I guess.

I'm really curious where all this will end. Not only here in Yemen, but by now Europe as well!

[aussiefriend]

I understand where Israel is coming from. They can help the refugees in other ways.

[Duchess]

Israel can bite my ass. Friggin' terrorists.

[Mohammed]

Are you nuts? Israel taking in Syrian, Iraqi, or pretty much any Arab refugees is the equivalent of Nazi Germany opening the doors to Gypsies and Jews. Preposterous!

Yes, Israel can help in other ways! Like providing weapons to those countries, keeping them shooting at each other, sending over Fallafels and Hummous for the hungry Jihadist, you know, nice things.

[SIXFOOTERsez]

They are not trash while they are on CNN right now. But wait until they do not get what they want for free when they get there.
Already rioting in Lesbos, Germany (yea they been there what, 3 days?)

Yea, they are fine upstanding citizens of the world...

[ramseycat]

I can't even watch this story on the news. One picture of a dead child and I was done. This world is so fucked up in so many ways. I don't see mankind ever being normal again.

[Duchess]

Yea, they are fine upstanding citizens of the world...

One doesn't see the best of people when they are desperate. They are in survival mode right now.

[Mohammed]

Six, no, that's totally wrong. The ones you see ... misbehaving, are what? Perhaps 10%. You will always find that whenever you put large crowds of people together or it goes even up to 90% in any German Pub after 10.

Yes, there is, and always will be, those that are absolutely ridiculous and make you shake your head, but you know what, fuck them! Trust me, the majority, or at least those grown people with family, will highly appreciate whatever help they can get and pay it back plenty! The troublemakers are actually easy to see. Same age group, radicals being young or some old, but not too difficult to identify. Unlike you people when you fucked up all those wonderful and helpful Indians and put them into some sort of concentration camps that time!

You will not believe how harmonious it is here in my neighborhood, how the people and families take care of each other, how much respect they have, and especially, take care of me, even so we are in the middle of a war. Besides, you got half the Middle East already holding US passports, and the worst of the lot, the Saudis, are your closest buddies that you build. Don't punish those that are being fucked by them!

[Maggot]

Not the camps, not the camps!!! Would anyone let them pitch a tent in their back yards. Give them a tent, dig a hole for sewage, feed them? It looks like they need to organize and stand up to what they are running from. I wonder sometimes what they are thinking. Is there some big billboards in their countries telling them to go to Europe. None of them seem to have a pot to piss in, how are they expecting to get by, a handout? What are they thinking?

[Duchess]

Would anyone let them pitch a tent in their back yards. Give them a tent, dig a hole for sewage, feed them?

I wouldn't let them pitch a tent or dig a hole for sewage but I would give them shelter and the opportunity to make money. It would be my privilege to help a small family.

It moved me, emotionally, to see some of the pix I have. I think that probably plays a big role in why I prefer to stick my head in the sand. I just don't want to know how awful it is for some people.

[Midwest Spy]

It is a horrible situation.

I'm ashamed to admit my first reaction was 'great, here's more people that we have to take care of.'

Dono was right though.

They are human beings simply striving for a better life for them and their families.

Is there any easy, painless, inexpensive solution?

No.

We that are so lucky to live in this country should count our blessings every single night.

[Carsman]

Said it before, now again.

It's a tough world, sometimes you gotta be tough to live in it.
(Closing your eyes does help, doesn't make it right, but it does make it help)

[Mohammed]

I'm in the mood.

Here are pics of kids. Aleppo in Syria was a dream come true. The food, the place, the people. Actually all of Syria. Damascus had an entry in the Guinness book of records for the biggest restaurant in the world with a seating of 30.000 folks. All of a sudden we had the streets here full of unusually white beggars, as they are normally black and from Somalia. They sure didn't plan for this. Brakes your heart to see a man trying to make some money for the day to feed his family that is living on cardboard boxes on the side of a street. And then it got ugly here as well.









This happens daily here and in Syria. Say no to a man who sees his children that way!

[HairOfTheDog]

It is heart-breaking Mo -- there's really nothing worse to see or imagine.

I don't fathom that most of the Syrian refugees are cowards who are unwilling to fight for their families and their country. Nor do I believe that they're trashy scammers looking to prosper at other people's expense (though I agree with you that some of them certainly are, just like with any group of millions).

What are Syrian mothers and fathers who were living peacefully and comparatively well in a diverse secular country supposed to do in the midst of this civil war and ISIS assault on Syria?

If they fight for Assad's regime, their families will have targets on their chests for ISIS and other terror groups. If they fight with the "rebels", they will most likely be fighting alongside some terrorists (and, even if they're not, they become enemies of the state and thereby likely paint a different colored target on their family's chests). If they fight for ISIS, they're essentially selling their souls to the devil. If they do nothing, they're sitting ducks.

Based on some comments I've read, I get the strong sense that more than a few Americans view the Syrian Civil War as similar to the American Civil War. It's not. There aren't two sides fighting for clearly defined opposing principles. This isn't Syrians fighting Syrians alone -- there are a shitload of interlopers from other countries who don't give a damn about the good of the Syrian people; that's not why they interloped. And, this is not a war where civilians are off-limits; just the opposite.

All sides are killing innocent civilians because the terror factions have taken over entire regions and are integrated within the civilian population. I imagine, but don't know for a fact, that there are plenty of neutral civilians who pledged allegiance to one of the many fighting factions begrudgingly or under duress/ threat, and for a promise of familial protection from those on the other sides. Risky proposition alright - but then, so is desperation/survival migration of entire families and villages/towns.

Germany has stepped way up when it comes to Syrian refugees; I understand how they're nearing true break-point - like Turkey and Jordan and Lebanon. Austria, once again, is showing that it has a collective conscience and is opening its doors. The UK today announced that it will take in 20,000 Syrian refugees. I agree with Merkel; more European countries need to pitch in and offer safe haven. The U.S. can do better too; we've taken in about 2,000 Syrian refugees to date.

In my opinion, the Gulf States really need to step in and step way up, but I'm not holding my breath. And, if Netanyahu can in complete seriousness implore all European Jews to move to Israel (as he's done more than once over the last year), I imagine he can find room for at least a few hundred Syrians.

I'm not saying there's no threat to the receiving countries; it's worrisome to me that some Islamic extremists and bad people will be among the migrants and slip through the screening net. But, do we let the true/innocent refugees perish? I understand why many people answer "yes" or "maybe", even though I can't.

Anyway, there are no easy solutions to such a sad and complex problem; but I think it could be more quickly and efficiently addressed if the weight was distributed more evenly across countries.

These are just my ponderings; thinking out loud.

[Mohammed]

The thing about extremists is simply this, can they function in our countries the same way than in a place of total anarchy? No. Yes, they might try, but will they get anywhere? I doubt it, hence most of them migrating to Iraq or Syria instead of the other way around. All that talk about "We will send you evil people!" is total crap, as those evil people actually come from those very same places in France, UK or Germany. Do the Hell's Angels or the KKK run the States? Maybe a village and some areas, but the system and society itself will simply take care of itself to ever let such happen. All those extremists went the other way already.

The Gulf states don't give a fuck, apart from Oman perhaps, and are just having a giggle about the whole thing they create. Less the UAE but definitely the Saudis, as they feel warm and cozy being the best buddy of the US. Don't bring any sort of refugees into our country, they will just make our well manicured streets look dirty!

Cowards? How many Jews got pushed into trains and gas chambers because the other side was holding weapons? Are those all cowards? It is so easy to run over a population if you carry guns! Which is also the reason why you guys in the States have those strange yet somehow making sense gun laws. Why is the war in Yemen so difficult and for months on end being done mainly from the air by the Saudis? Because every house has some serious weapons in it and knows how to kick ass since they are 6 years old. 6 months of bombing, then they set up camp next to my oil field and with a single attack and missile the Hooters take out 60 Saudi and UAE soldiers, which is then called by the Saudis a "Cowardly Attack", which I find hilarious as it's a fucking war, yet resulting in them going mad and bombing the Hyundai and Porsche showroom as well as the local KFC here in Sana'a for the last 4 days from the safe distance of their jets.

It's also why you don't find the Yemenis mass migrating as they are used to putting up a fight, unlike the normal Syrian household that is basically just a normal and decent family without weapons since generations.

[HairOfTheDog]

I hear ya, Mo.

"Cowardice" is a slur that gets slung around inaccurately quite a lot, lots of times by cowards looking to justify the injustice they impose on others.

I also agree with you about the right to bear arms being sensible (when not abused). I don't live in fear that the U.S. government or some interlopers are gonna storm against American citizens and kill us or drive us from our land. But, I think you're right that most Syrian families didn't either. Maybe they could have fared better had they weapons of their own? I don't think they could have fared worse, at least.

Extremists/terrorists thrive when they go unchallenged and dominate populations by force, no doubt. I think you're right that they are surely less effective in accomplishing their goals when faced with strong/equipped resistance outside their turf. But, innocent lives are often lost in the process of exterminating them on foreign ground too. And, more covert extremists with longer-term plans can and do form festering cells/pockets; allowing them to network and organize into larger movements which are more wide-reaching and difficult to quash.

As for the Saudis, they've gotta be just loving the P5+1 nuclear negotiations and lifting of economic sanctions against Iran, right?

I know many here disagree with me, but a stronger Iran helps balance the regional power in the Middle East, which is a good thing - in my view.

[Maggot]

Showing the worst of human and animal indignities has been going on for ages. It's used to pull the mask off people and show the atrocities of war the shock value is the pitch. Some countries respond with their wallets, some with blankets and some could care less. UNISEF, SPCA, Christian childrens fund all of those organizations get the best bang for their buck though.

I heard many maybe 20,000 were on the island of Lesbos now waiting.

[Duchess]

I shouldn't be laughing at the island of Lesbos.

[Maggot]

It would be a good opportunity for a smart farmer to get some really cheap labor, Just feed them and stick them in a trailer. maybe Germany has the same thoughts.