Hundreds of Ethiopian demonstrators protest against racism in Israel

[Jefferson23]

Ethiopians claim Kiryat Malachi housing committees refuse to sell them apartments; hundreds of protesters include various groups who feel weak in Israeli society.

By Revital Hovel and Yanir Yagna

Hundreds of demonstrators hit the streets of Kiryat Malachi on Tuesday afternoon, protesting what they call the discrimination of Ethiopian immigrants. According to Ethiopian residents of Kiryat Malachi, housing committees in the city have been refusing to sell them apartments.

The protest was not only attended by Ethiopian immigrants, but by representatives of various groups who feel weak in Israeli society.

"The phenomenon of racism harms us all, and it is impossible to separate the discrimination of Ethiopians in Israel from the discrimination of Arab residents or Russian-speakers," said Rabia Elsagir, a resident of Shfaram and member of The Coalition Against Racism in Israel, who attended the protest with a handful of people from the Arab sector.

The Association for Civil Rights in Israel also condemned the phenomenon, requesting that the Knesset Committee for Immigration, Absorption and Diaspora Affairs dedicate a portion of a meeting scheduled for tomorrow to the matter. The association said the committee must clearly state that they do not condone racism and discrimination and that they "are taking clear and decisive steps to eradicate" the phenomena.

in full: http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/hundreds-of-ethiopian-demonstrators-protest-against-racism-in-israel-1.406557

[Jefferson23]

1. Absorption Minister: Ethiopian immigrants should be grateful to Israel

Yisrael Beiteinu's Sofa Landver says Ethiopians should thank the state for what they received after a member of Ethiopian community calls MKs 'hypocrites' after failing to address discrimination in Kiryat Malachi.

By Revital Blumenfeld

Immigration Absorption Minister Sofa Landver responded Wednesday to recent protests against discrimination of Ethiopian immigrants, and said that they should be grateful for what they have received from Israel.

About 2,000 people gathered on Tuesday to demonstrate against racism in Kiryat Malakhi, after members of the Ethiopian immigrant community said that local homeowners' committees refuse to sell them apartments. They were joined by hundreds of people who came from around the country to support them.

Knesset members from various parties gathered with representatives of the Ethiopian community on Wednesday for an emergency discussion on the topic.

After one of the Ethiopian representatives, Gadi Desta, told the MKs that "apartheid" was taking place, Landver said, "You need to be grateful for what you have received."

in full: http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/absorption-minister-ethiopian-immigrants-should-be-grateful-to-israel-1.406728

On edit to add: Israel Police open probe into alleged racism against Ethiopian immigrants

Attorney General: A democratic society cannot tolerate discrimination; Immigration Absorption Minister said on Wednesday that Ethiopian immigrants should be grateful to Israel.

By Tomer Zarchin

Police have opened an investigation into suspected incitement to racism on the part of local homeowners' committees in Kiryat Malakhi that allegedly refused to rent apartments to members of the Ethiopian immigrant community.

In a letter sent by Attorney General Yehudah Weinstein to Minister Limor Livnat, Weinstein wrote that a police investigation into the alleged racist practices by the committees was opened several days ago.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/israel-police-open-probe-into-alleged-racism-against-ethiopian-immigrants-1.406746

[bemildred]

2. Peres: Israel should thank Ethiopian immigrants, not vice versa

During visit to Jerusalem school, President Shimon Peres says racists in Israel should be ashamed of themselves.

"We, the State of Israel, should say thank you to immigrants from Ethiopia and not vice versa," President Shimon Peres said on Thursday during a visit to a school in Jerusalem. "We do not want racism here, or anywhere else."

Peres' statement came a day after Immigration Absorption Minister Sofa Landver, in response to recent protests against discrimination against Ethiopian immigrants, said that Ethiopian immigrants should be grateful for what they have received from Israel.

About 2,000 people gathered on Tuesday to demonstrate against racism in Kiryat Malakhi, after members of the Ethiopian immigrant community there said that local homeowners' committees refuse to rent them apartments. They were joined by hundreds of people who came from around the country to support them.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/peres-israel-should-thank-ethiopian-immigrants-not-vice-versa-1.406905

[Scurrilous]

3. Israeli school bus driver recorded spewing racist slurs at Ethiopian children

‘We are sorry that you’re here,’ Ethiopian schoolgirls record driver as saying on Jerusalem bus.

<snip>

"As thousands of Israelis have been protesting racism directed at Ethiopian Israelis recently, a new recording revealed Wednesday an Israeli school bus driver in Jerusalem spewing racist slurs at schoolgirls of Ethiopian origin.

“People tell you that you smell bad, deal with it. Put on deodorant every day. You’ll smell better,” the driver was heard saying in the recording. “You need to respect us. We were living here before you, our lives are much more modern.”

When one of the kids apologized to the driver for the fact that the children are Ethiopian, he responded, “We are also sorry that you’re here. I get along fine with Israelis, but with you I have yet to get along … You will never change, you stay the same shit all the time.”

Yordenos Godetta, a sixth grader from Mevaseret Zion, a suburb of Jerusalem, said it wasn’t the first time the girls had been cursed by their bus driver.

According to Godetta, the Ethiopian kids also take abuse from other children. “When we got on the bus on Sunday morning on the way to school,” she said, “one of the Israeli kids told the driver, ‘open the window, it stinks of Ethiopians in here.’”

http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/israeli-school-bus-driver-recorded-spewing-racist-slurs-at-ethiopian-children-1.408009