Published: 9 May 2018
Last updated: 4 March 2024
On the one hand, despite several rulings of the High Court on this matter, the government desperately wants the majority to be deported because they aren't Jewish, fears of a greater influx and security concerns.
Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked explained her reasoning for wanting the mostly-African asylum seekers expelled. “Zionism will not continue to bend its head to human rights and the rights of the individual as interpreted by the High Court of Justice.”
Among the many who have challenged this definition of Zionism are four Australian immigrants (“olim”), who spoke exclusively to The Jewish Independent. Their experiences have led them to conclude that there needs to be no dissonance between Israel being both a state for the Jewish people, and a state that welcomes refugees fleeing from danger in their home countries.
ILANA PINSHAW
Pinshaw migrated to Israel (aliyah) in 2007 and has always felt connected to refugees: her grandparents were refugees from Eastern Europe before the war, who luckily found refuge in South Africa. “I've always felt like the history of the Jewish people is the history of refugees.”
Her exposure to the situation of asylum seekers in Israel was a challenging moment. “I was horrified by what was happening with refugees - at the time there were stories of them being shot by Egyptians as they tried to cross the border into Israel; and already the demonisation of refugees had begun.
“I wanted to do something positive about that, so I founded Microfy, which provides loans to asylum seekers from Eritrea and Sudan to start their own businesses, become financially independent and gain a feeling of self-respect and control over their lives.”
Microfy also organises tours of south Tel Aviv that seek to humanise those labelled by the government as “infiltrators”. Pinshaw said these tours are “particularly aimed at women's organisations not engaged with refugees to make them aware of the situation and to recognise this struggle as part of the wider feminist cause”.
TAMARA NEWMAN
Most 17-year-olds have probably never visited an Australian immigration detention centre. This was not the case for Tamara Newman, whose rabbi took her to Sydney's Villawood detention centre as part of a program of Jewish social action. Newman recalls the visit to Villawood with Rabbi Jeffrey Kamins, from the Emanuel Synagogue, as a formative experience in her political identity.
Since making aliyah in 2013, Newman has been a strong advocate for the 37,000 mostly Sudanese and Eritrean asylum seekers facing imminent expulsion from Israel pending the government’s response to a High Court ruling that has temporarily halted the deportations.
As the Director of International Relations at the Hotline for Refugees and Migrants, Newman works on a daily basis with some of Israel’s most marginalised people.
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LEAH HECHT
After immigrating from Sydney in 2017, Hecht joined the African Refugee Development Centre where she works as the Program Manager for Education and Advocacy.
The ARDC works with asylum seekers, Israelis and other nationalities to assist the African community by building personalised education plans, offering scholarships, and a wide range of education opportunities. Access to higher education and skills-based and vocational workshops empowers the refugee community and provides access to better employment opportunities.
“I feel sad that Israel – a country built on refugees – would deport refugees,” she says. “I see this moment as a ‘stain’, and I want to do everything I can to try and make sure it doesn’t happen; to support the African community and do my part.”
Like Pinshaw and Newman, Hecht would like Australian Jews to be more aware about the situation. “If you are not happy with what is happening and feel it does not reflect how you would like Israel to treat refugees and asylum seekers, reach out to the NGOs on the ground. International pressure could do important things!”
Feelings of relief and joy were expressed by many grantees supported by the New Israel Fund, which has been leading the fight against deportation. In the wake of the announcement that asylum seekers visas would be temporarily renewed, Hecht says: “I am relieved that Israel's plan to forcibly deport asylum seekers will not continue. I am, however, disappointed that such a plan existed in the first place.”
Reflecting on the struggle that has arisen in Israel around this issue over the past decade, she adds: “At the same time, I am inspired by the tens of thousands of individuals who worked tirelessly to fight against the deportation policy. Without this, it would not have been cancelled. Although the community feels relieved, they now have questions marks on their faces, what next?”
At present, the Knesset is debating the High Court Override Bill, which if passed, will enable the government to reinstate any law struck down by the High Court.
“I hope that the Knesset will not be able to pass a law that enables them to bypass the ruling of the High Court,” Hecht says. “This would be a challenge to the balance of power between the judiciary and government, whereby the court acts to safeguard the basic law and principles of legality - it would be a challenge to democracy.”
CHANTAL TANNER
Chantal made aliyah in 2017. As a former foreign law clerk at the Supreme Court of Israel, she has witnessed first-hand the essential role the Court plays in sustaining and ensuring the continued survival of Israeli democracy.
Tanner laments the fate of Israel’s most maligned people should the power of the court would be removed. “In the past decade, the court has repeatedly been required to play umpire and restrain the game of political football in the Knesset over the lives of nearly 40,000 legitimate refugees.”
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Author's note
It breaks my heart to think the Declaration that founded this country and the laws that underpin its foundations could be undone within the next month if Prime Minister Netanyahu and Education Minister Bennett have their way.
For the sake of Israeli democracy and the people who most need their rights protected in Israel, I hope these four and many other Australians from near and far are successful in ensuring that do Israel continues to be both a state inspired by the most noble of Jewish values and a democracy for all her citizens.
Main photo: Leah Hecht at a protest against the deportations (ARDC)
