Published on Alternet (http://www.alternet.org)
Home > Trump's Religion Test for Immigrants Is Standard Practice in Israel
________________________________________
Trump's Religion Test for Immigrants Is Standard Practice in Israel
By Philip Weiss [1] / Mondoweiss [2]
December 10, 2015
The widespread political condemnation of Donald Trump's call for a ban on
Muslims entering the United States and for surveillance of mosques was
pretty great yesterday. American leaders left and right said that such
policies are unconstitutional and counter to U.S. values. "Donald Trump is a
race-baiting, xenophobic religious bigot," Senator Lindsey Graham said
emphatically [3].
But those leaders are strong supporters of Israel ("The pro-Israel community
has been the heart and soul of my campaign," Graham told Jewish Insider),
and Israel practices many of the policies that Trump wants the U.S. to
implement.
For instance, Israeli airport security officials routinely ask travelers
what their religion is [4] and often bar Muslims as a result [5]. Last
night, Chris Matthews was enraged by Trump's recommendation that American
immigration officials ask travelers if they are Muslim. But our own State
Department has blasted Israel [6] for denying "entry or exit without
explanation"- notably to "those whom Israeli authorities suspect of being of
Arab, Middle Eastern, or Muslim origin." [emphasis mine].
Nour Joudah, an American who was deported from Israel, explained that Israel
discriminates against anyone with an Arab name, at Electronic Intifada [7]:
I think it is very clear that they want as few people with Palestinian
origin in what they consider Israel and the occupied territories because
they don't even want the [Palestinians] that are there. So why in God's name
would they want us returning in any form or fashion, even if it's for a
limited period or for a visit? . They consider no one's citizenship valuable
if you have an Arab name, end of story.
Sadly, Israeli profilingis already being offered [8]as a model for American
ports: "What's so great about Israeli security? Profiling."
Israel also discriminates against non-Jewish refugees and immigrants. In an
article titled, [9]"Trump is no more racist than mainstream Israeli
policies," +972 states:
"[I]n Israel, there is already a law banning Muslims from immigrating - the
'Law of Return' which gives that right to Jews alone."
Yousef Munayyer, who was born in Israel, explains [10] that the
discrimination keeps him from living with his own wife in the country of his
birth!
Today, a Jew from any country can move to Israel, while a Palestinian
refugee, with a valid claim to property in Israel, cannot.
[B]ecause my wife has a Palestinian ID, she cannot fly [into Israel]; she is
relegated to flying to Amman, Jordan. If we plan a trip together - an
enjoyable task for most couples - we must prepare for a logistical nightmare
that reminds us of our profound inequality before the law at every turn.
Even if we fly together to Amman, we are forced to take different bridges,
two hours apart, and endure often humiliating waiting and questioning just
to cross into Israel [11] and the West Bank..
Israeli law prevents my wife from living with me in Israel. This is to
prevent what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu once referred to as
"demographic spillover." Additional Palestinian babies in Israel are
considered "demographic threats" by a state constantly battling to keep a
Jewish majority.
Compare Netanyahu's racist xenophobic rhetoric to Trump's claims re Mexicans
and Muslims. There isn't much difference.
P.S. A related criticism of Trump is that he is endangering American
citizens because his comments fulfill extremist claims about pervasive
Islamophobia in the United States. Trump is "the ISIL man of the year,"
Lindsey Graham said on CNN.
"We have young men and women in harm's way around the world. The enemy will
use [this rhetoric] against us. He's putting our soldiers and diplomats at
risk."
Secretary of State John Kerry offered a similar warning: [12]
"As I travel around the world, it is clear to me and how both our friends
and our adversaries watch and listen to the discourse in the U.S., and I
believe that comments such as those that we just heard are not constructive
- and I would say that is putting it diplomatically."
As did the Pentagon [12].
"Anything that bolsters ISIL's narrative and pits the United States against
the Muslim faith is certainly not only contrary to our values but contrary
to our national security," [spokesperson Peter Cook] said, using another
name for ISIS.
But as all these officials can tell you, Israel's discriminatory policies
are also watched closely around the Arab and Muslim world and are held
against the United States. Israel's occupation of Palestine was a factor in
the terrorist slaughter of 9/11 andlast January in Paris [13]. Israeli
policies are said to have upset one of the San Bernardino killers [14], too.
Donald Trump's critics would be a lot more consistent if they urged Israel
to stop persecuting Palestinians and Muslims because such policies endanger
its allies.
Thanks to Adam Horowitz for much of this post.
- See more at:
http://mondoweiss.net/2015/12/trumps-religion-test#sthash.Ah23O4nX.dpuf [15]
Philip Weiss is the author of American Taboo: A Murder in the Peace Corps
[16].
Share on Facebook Share
Share on Twitter Tweet
Report typos and corrections to 'corrections@xxxxxxxxxxxx'. [17]
[18]
________________________________________
Source URL:
http://www.alternet.org/world/trumps-religion-test-immigrants-standard-pract
ice-israel
Links:
[1] http://www.alternet.org/authors/philip-weiss
[2] http://www.mondoweiss.net
[3]
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2015/12/08/lindsey_graham_trump_is_a_
race_baiting_xenophobic_bigot.html
[4]
http://mondoweiss.net/2011/07/ben-gurion-airport-showcases-the-normalisation
-of-apartheid-in-israelpalestine
[5]
http://mondoweiss.net/2013/07/after-confirming-she-was-a-muslim-israeli-auth
orities-interrogated-american-woman-8-hours-and-strip-searched-her-multiple-
times
[6] http://jerusalem.usconsulate.gov/entering.html
[7]
https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/maureen-clare-murphy/they-wanted-me-lis
t-every-young-palestinian-i-knew-says-palestinian
[8]
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2011/01/whats_so_g
reat_about_israeli_security.html
[9]
http://972mag.com/trump-is-no-more-racist-than-mainstream-israeli-policy/114
613/
[10]
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/24/opinion/not-all-israeli-citizens-are-equal
.html?_r=0
[11]
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/isr
ael/index.html?inline=nyt-geo
[12]
http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/08/politics/donald-trump-josh-earnest-disqualifie
d-president-muslims/
[13] http://mondoweiss.net/2015/12/elliott-abrams-palestine
[14] http://mondoweiss.net/2015/12/reported-politely-ignores
[15] http://mondoweiss.net/2015/12/trumps-religion-test#sthash.Ah23O4nX.dpuf
[16] http://alternet.bookswelike.net/isbn/006009687X
[17] mailto:corrections@xxxxxxxxxxxx?Subject=Typo on Trump's Religion Test
for Immigrants Is Standard Practice in Israel
[18] http://www.alternet.org/
[19] http://www.alternet.org/%2Bnew_src%2B
Published on Alternet (http://www.alternet.org)
Home > Trump's Religion Test for Immigrants Is Standard Practice in Israel
Trump's Religion Test for Immigrants Is Standard Practice in Israel
By Philip Weiss [1] / Mondoweiss [2]
December 10, 2015
The widespread political condemnation of Donald Trump's call for a ban on
Muslims entering the United States and for surveillance of mosques was
pretty great yesterday. American leaders left and right said that such
policies are unconstitutional and counter to U.S. values. "Donald Trump is a
race-baiting, xenophobic religious bigot," Senator Lindsey Graham said
emphatically [3].
But those leaders are strong supporters of Israel ("The pro-Israel community
has been the heart and soul of my campaign," Graham told Jewish Insider),
and Israel practices many of the policies that Trump wants the U.S. to
implement.
For instance, Israeli airport security officials routinely ask travelers
what their religion is [4] and often bar Muslims as a result [5]. Last
night, Chris Matthews was enraged by Trump's recommendation that American
immigration officials ask travelers if they are Muslim. But our own State
Department has blasted Israel [6] for denying "entry or exit without
explanation"- notably to "those whom Israeli authorities suspect of being of
Arab, Middle Eastern, or Muslim origin." [emphasis mine].
Nour Joudah, an American who was deported from Israel, explained that Israel
discriminates against anyone with an Arab name, at Electronic Intifada [7]:
I think it is very clear that they want as few people with Palestinian
origin in what they consider Israel and the occupied territories because
they don't even want the [Palestinians] that are there. So why in God's name
would they want us returning in any form or fashion, even if it's for a
limited period or for a visit? . They consider no one's citizenship valuable
if you have an Arab name, end of story.
Sadly, Israeli profilingis already being offered [8]as a model for American
ports: "What's so great about Israeli security? Profiling."
Israel also discriminates against non-Jewish refugees and immigrants. In an
article titled, [9]"Trump is no more racist than mainstream Israeli
policies," +972 states:
"[I]n Israel, there is already a law banning Muslims from immigrating - the
'Law of Return' which gives that right to Jews alone."
Yousef Munayyer, who was born in Israel, explains [10] that the
discrimination keeps him from living with his own wife in the country of his
birth!
Today, a Jew from any country can move to Israel, while a Palestinian
refugee, with a valid claim to property in Israel, cannot.
[B]ecause my wife has a Palestinian ID, she cannot fly [into Israel]; she is
relegated to flying to Amman, Jordan. If we plan a trip together - an
enjoyable task for most couples - we must prepare for a logistical nightmare
that reminds us of our profound inequality before the law at every turn.
Even if we fly together to Amman, we are forced to take different bridges,
two hours apart, and endure often humiliating waiting and questioning just
to cross into Israel [11] and the West Bank..
Israeli law prevents my wife from living with me in Israel. This is to
prevent what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu once referred to as
"demographic spillover." Additional Palestinian babies in Israel are
considered "demographic threats" by a state constantly battling to keep a
Jewish majority.
Compare Netanyahu's racist xenophobic rhetoric to Trump's claims re Mexicans
and Muslims. There isn't much difference.
P.S. A related criticism of Trump is that he is endangering American
citizens because his comments fulfill extremist claims about pervasive
Islamophobia in the United States. Trump is "the ISIL man of the year,"
Lindsey Graham said on CNN.
"We have young men and women in harm's way around the world. The enemy will
use [this rhetoric] against us. He's putting our soldiers and diplomats at
risk."
Secretary of State John Kerry offered a similar warning: [12]
"As I travel around the world, it is clear to me and how both our friends
and our adversaries watch and listen to the discourse in the U.S., and I
believe that comments such as those that we just heard are not constructive
- and I would say that is putting it diplomatically."
As did the Pentagon [12].
"Anything that bolsters ISIL's narrative and pits the United States against
the Muslim faith is certainly not only contrary to our values but contrary
to our national security," [spokesperson Peter Cook] said, using another
name for ISIS.
But as all these officials can tell you, Israel's discriminatory policies
are also watched closely around the Arab and Muslim world and are held
against the United States. Israel's occupation of Palestine was a factor in
the terrorist slaughter of 9/11 andlast January in Paris [13]. Israeli
policies are said to have upset one of the San Bernardino killers [14], too.
Donald Trump's critics would be a lot more consistent if they urged Israel
to stop persecuting Palestinians and Muslims because such policies endanger
its allies.
Thanks to Adam Horowitz for much of this post.
- See more at:
http://mondoweiss.net/2015/12/trumps-religion-test#sthash.Ah23O4nX.dpuf [15]
Philip Weiss is the author of American Taboo: A Murder in the Peace Corps
[16].
Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.
Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.
Report typos and corrections to 'corrections@xxxxxxxxxxxx'. [17]
Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.[18]
Source URL:
http://www.alternet.org/world/trumps-religion-test-immigrants-standard-pract
ice-israel
Links:
[1] http://www.alternet.org/authors/philip-weiss
[2] http://www.mondoweiss.net
[3]
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2015/12/08/lindsey_graham_trump_is_a_
race_baiting_xenophobic_bigot.html
[4]
http://mondoweiss.net/2011/07/ben-gurion-airport-showcases-the-normalisation
-of-apartheid-in-israelpalestine
[5]
http://mondoweiss.net/2013/07/after-confirming-she-was-a-muslim-israeli-auth
orities-interrogated-american-woman-8-hours-and-strip-searched-her-multiple-
times
[6] http://jerusalem.usconsulate.gov/entering.html
[7]
https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/maureen-clare-murphy/they-wanted-me-lis
t-every-young-palestinian-i-knew-says-palestinian
[8]
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2011/01/whats_so_g
reat_about_israeli_security.html
[9]
http://972mag.com/trump-is-no-more-racist-than-mainstream-israeli-policy/114
613/
[10]
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/24/opinion/not-all-israeli-citizens-are-equal
.html?_r=0
[11]
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/isr
ael/index.html?inline=nyt-geo
[12]
http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/08/politics/donald-trump-josh-earnest-disqualifie
d-president-muslims/
[13] http://mondoweiss.net/2015/12/elliott-abrams-palestine
[14] http://mondoweiss.net/2015/12/reported-politely-ignores
[15] http://mondoweiss.net/2015/12/trumps-religion-test#sthash.Ah23O4nX.dpuf
[16] http://alternet.bookswelike.net/isbn/006009687X
[17] mailto:corrections@xxxxxxxxxxxx?Subject=Typo on Trump's Religion Test
for Immigrants Is Standard Practice in Israel
[18] http://www.alternet.org/
[19] http://www.alternet.org/%2Bnew_src%2B
