OneJerusalem.com

Hundreds of African refugees were evacuated yesterday from a bomb shelter in South Tel Aviv. In the last few months, about two hundred and fifty refugees have faced inhuman conditions. They have been staying in over- crowded, deserted structures often flooded with no drinking water or electricity. They receive no medical care and are frequently harassed by the immigration police.

Israel tried to deport some of the refugees back to Egypt but could not stop the thousands of refugees who crossed the Southern border into Israel.

Israel has so far failed to find a solution for dozens of refugees who seek political asylum in Israel. Since Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East, these desperate people have no where else to go. Tel Aviv municipality officials have recently complained that government provided almost no help in finding solutions. As a result, these hundreds of refugee have been relying on the kindness of a few representatives by Tel Aviv municipality and some local volunteers.

I was very disappointed with the government’s policy on this issue. Everyone is now talking about Israel’s 60th Independence Day. But the 60 years that have passed seem to erase our collective memory. Considering Israel’s history, we have a moral responsibility to help these African refugees. The government should let the refugees work so they can provide for themselves and regain their human dignity. Israel’s ideology forces us to demonstrate more solidarity than that.