200 French immigrants arrive in Israel

[Gimel]

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon welcomed some 200 French Jews to Israel, barely two weeks after calling on French Jewry to leave their homes because of rampant anti-Semitism.

Sharon's comments in a July 18 speech to American Jewish leaders in Jerusalem acknowledged French government efforts to stem anti-Semitism. However, his remarks caused outrage in France as they implied that the country was anti-Semitic, that the French government could not protect Jews, and that France could no longer be home to Jews because "10 percent of France is Muslim."

Sharon appeared to try to correct the damage from his earlier statements at Wednesday's welcoming ceremony at Ben-Gurion International Airport. He said anti-Semitism threatens the Western world, without singling out France. "We therefore very much appreciate the determined actions of the French government, as well as the French president's stand against anti-Semitism. We hope that his determination will serve as an example to other countries, as well."

Softening his appeal to French Jews based on anti-Semitism, Sharon said, "Jews must come to Israel not because of hatred or fear. Jews must immigrate because it is their homeland."

Link..

News reports note that the immigrants are largely families of north African immigrants to France. That would make them Sephardi in their origin.

About half are single young people and students. The other half are families.

[DenverDem]

1. "We need cannon fodder

and warm bodies to fill Palestine." Sharon

[bemildred]

2. Sharon will need more than 200.

Immigration is way down on his watch. Consider the possibility
that this is a PR campaign to increase immigration. France
has the largest Jewish population in Europe.

Coincidence? Perhaps not.

[Gimel]

3. Immigration from France

Immigration from France has been on the increase over the past two years, as stated in the article.

In most cases, it is either ideology or concern for their children, said Daniel Haik, a journalist working for Jewish media in France. "The Jews of the suburbs where there are no Muslims don't feel anti-Semitism. The real problem is the quality of schools. The demand for Jewish schools outstrips supply."

The wave of attacks on Jews in recent months has not resulted in a wave of immigration to Israel. About 1,500-2,500 a year do leave France for Israel, though this year the Jewish Agency hopes to bring as many as 3,000.

[bemildred]

4. I don't understand why you are telling me this.

There IS a campaign to bring more Jews to Israel, and all
I suggested is that recent news stories about Jabba running
his mouth and putting his foot in it repeatedly were part of
or related to that campaign. What you have added suggests that
they hope for a modest increase in immigration from France.

Have you seen numbers on the flow of Jews back to the EU and
Russia that we have had a couple stories about here? I have
not been able to dig anything up.

I would wager you that Sharon has created big problems with
demographic issues with his pro-violence policies.

[Gimel]

5. The increase in immigration

There has been an increase in immigration from the EU in the past two years. Is this just a blip on the screen? Time will tell. The Jewish Agency expects it to continue.

While over-all numbers are down, from France and other EU countries it has risen slightly but significantly.

P.S. Also, you happened to be the last post in a couple that said basically the same thing. Sorry if I've picked on you. Didn't mean to.

[bemildred]

6. It is nothing. No offense taken.

You cannot discuss without speaking your mind.

[Classical_Liberal]

11. Increase in immigration?

not according to this article

A Wave of Jews Returning to Russia

Wednesday, August 04, 2004
Photo:Vladimir Filonov / MT<br/>It was interesting for me to live in a Jewish state, but I feel more comfortable in Russia, said Dzhadan, who returned in 2001.
Photo:Vladimir Filonov / MT
It was interesting for me to live in a Jewish state, but I feel more comfortable in Russia, said Dzhadan, who returned in 2001.

By Anatoly Medetsky
The Moscow Times

As the Iron Curtain began to fall, Igor Dzhadan left the Soviet Union with his family, bound for Israel and a long forbidden opportunity.

Dzhadan was luckier than most of the 11,000 Soviet doctors who rushed to Israel around the same time, 1990, under Israel's Law of Return. He was able to continue practice and research. Still, he returned to Russia in 2001 to become an editor at Moscow's Jewish News Agency.

"It was interesting for me to live in a Jewish state, but I feel more comfortable in Russia," Dzhadan said. "I knew from the experience of others that I could find work here and my life prospects wouldn't be worse than in Israel." ...........

...........Recently, however, Israel has seen its population growth subside, with citizens leaving not only for Russia, but also Europe and the United States. Only 20,000 to 30,000 immigrants entered Israel from 2001 to 2003, which was for the first time less than the outflow, Gorin said, citing the study............


http://www.fjc.ru/news/newsArticle.asp?AID=158514

[Classical_Liberal]

10. The Jewish Agency isn't exactly unbiased.

How about an actual citation of actual statistics. My bet is that numbers are way down. Besides Haaretz even quoted these new french immigrants as saying they didn't come their to flee french antisemitism. They came because they are zionists.

I think Ariel just made this arrival into a publicity stunt, to desguise the real statistics of more people fleeing Israel then going there.

Unfortunately the people who are living would likely have voted against this buzzard.

[IA_Seth]

7. Good News

This is good news, at least Sharon has changed his tone regarding French inaction toward anti-semitism.

Now, if he would only call on the settlers to immigrate back to Israel.

[donsu]

8. 10 days later 200 show up in Israel (different report)

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/07/28/world/main632610.shtml?cmp=EM8706

Just 10 days after Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon enraged French leaders by urging France's Jews to leave for Israel, a group of 200 French Jews arrived to start a new life in the Jewish state, with Sharon at the airport to greet them.

-snip-

Softening his earlier appeal, Sharon said, "Jews must come to Israel not because of hatred or fear. Jews must immigrate because it is their homeland."
-snip-
-------------------------------------

[number6]

9. giving in to anti-semitism... instead of staying in Europe

to fight it, move out to satisfy neo nazi's and others ...

the Legacy of A. Sharon