Shai from Jerusalem: The Darfur refugees as an allegory

Israel is continuously and very rightly preoccupied with its international image. Sometimes it uses the term “hasbara”, in others, “public diplomacy”. On one front it tasks itself with branding, while on another it is about to establish a National Hasbara Array.

The issue is not new. It has been with Israel for decades, forever starting with a shrug, shaking off criticism, and finally – in a sort of hurried and vicious attack on the “new anti-Semitism”, crying as always that “the world is against us”.

We are short of breath and impatient, always seeking quick achievements. For instance, here is a case lurking at our doorstep. The new refugees arriving from Africa, crossing Egypt and the Sinai, and hurling themselves at the Israeli-Egyptian border. There they meet the Israeli soldiers, who luckily open their water bottles instead of opening fire, and later load them into trucks and deliver them to Beer Sheva.

Thousands (!) of Sudanese and other African refugees have made this journey so far. Most of the border-crossers, it must be admitted, do not come from Darfur, but some do. Others ‘hitch a ride’ and finally make it to a country offering them, at least, some refuge.

Several hundreds of the Sudanese refugees were given work in Eilat, others found themselves wandering in the north, and a handful of local authorities (such as Beer Sheva, Omer) took responsibility for a while and then let them go. They have enough welfare cases on their hands as it is.

Farmers in the south were quick to spot the potential. Here is cheap labor, with no rights or legal status, which can be given any necessary task. Slavery, Israel 2007 version. And perhaps that is a better fate than going back to the African torment?

Israel makes decisions slowly and painstakingly, while being slung with predictable and infuriating international criticism. The campaign for Darfur is led by Jewish organizations in North America.

They regard it as being in line with the important value of helping people in distress, and when the familiar terminology is used – “the Darfur Holocaust” – can any Jew remain indifferent?

Prime Minister Olmert reached an agreement with his Egyptian counterpart, President Mubarak, according to which the non-Darfurian refugees will be sent back to Egypt. Israel, on its own part, announced that it will absorb the refugees from Darfur, until a solution is formulated for them with relevant international authorities.

In the meantime, the refugees or illegal aliens are here, in our own streets, drifting helplessly. The Emigration Authority, the Police and the authorities in the south all persist in ignoring them, and leave them to the good will of those who have erected a ‘peace tent’ for their benefit.

It seems like complete and utter helplessness. Very typical, very Israeli, to let the flames rise and spread, then try to abate them, when it is already too late.

I would not bring this topic up, if it weren’t for the firm connection between the refugee issue and Israel’s public diplomacy. In this matter, Israel is fully exposed to global public opinion, Israeli public opinion and that of the North American Jewish community. This has nothing to do with intricate security matters, nothing is censured, nothing can be concealed, and all that meets the eye – does not look good at all.

It will not be long now before the international media charges us, the Jewish State, with not being able to take in refugees, with discarding them and leaving them to their fate. Where is Israel’s high moral ground? Where is the affinity with those in distress? Where is the renowned Jewish historical memory?

We can claim hypocrisy and double standard, as is our wont. We can say that Europe is closed before them, and that many actually drown on their way from the Mediterranean Sea to Italy. The United States has locked its gates to them, and so do many countries in the northern hemisphere.

But Israel needs to point out that out of all the countries in the world, only we are bringing 300 people from Ethiopia on a monthly basis; yes, Ethiopia, which is in Africa. Almost 4000 a year, and up till now over 100 thousand, some of them Jews coming to their homeland under the Law of Return, and some Falashmura, who converted into Christianity four generations ago, and now seek their way back into Judaism.

But who can stand up and say these things? Who can deal with a brewing media crisis? Who can preempt its development, its consequences, its damages?

Truth be told, that is precisely what Israel lacks. We need it now more than ever, because now more than ever there are media channels and international organizations using them to network over the heads of governments and state authorities.

A designated Israeli authority should have been the one to warn of the international import of a mounting storm such as this. Warn, too, of its expected escalation, and of the fact that Israel will soon lose the initiative.

Israel would retort, defend itself, but whatever it does, including the “wondrous Ethiopian story”, will be overwhelmed by criticism.

This is one very clear-cut case, but there have been many in the past and will be many to come. We refuse to accept the fact that public diplomacy is an unremitting and independent front, requiring permanent deployment. Not putting out fires, but on-going activity, which takes the initiative and commits all the government authorities in Israel.

Could I be daydreaming? Perhaps. But dreams do come true. Sometime. Maybe not too late.