Israel News for 2-23-18
Deportation Demonstrations
A giant rally is scheduled to take place in south Tel Aviv Saturday in solidarity with illegal African migrants and asylum seekers, who are soon to be deported to Uganda or Rwanda or face imprisonment in Israel.
The movement orchestrating the rally, known as “South Tel Aviv Against Deportation”, is expecting thousands to flock to the area to attend from across Israel in a bid to display widespread opposition to the Knesset’s approval of the deportation plan two months ago.
In an effort to counter the demonstration, crowds are planning to assemble from the other side of the camp, led by “The Front for the Liberation of South Tel Aviv” under the campaign banner of “Remember Esther Galili,” a victim whose murder came to symbolize anger over the migrants’ presence and galvanize protesters into action.
In January, Israel began notifying thousands of Africans who entered the country illegally that they have three months to leave or face incarceration.
The Population and Immigration Authority called on migrants from Sudan and Eritrea to leave “to their country or to a third country,” meaning Rwanda or Uganda. Those who leave by the end of March will be given $3,500, along with airfare and other incentives.
Rwanda announced Friday that it would only absorb Eritrean and Sudanese asylum seeker being deported from Israel if the measures were in accordance with international law.
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Embassy Move
According to a report in the Associated Press, Sheldon Adelson, the billionaire casino magnate and major Republican Party supporter, has offered to pay for at least part of the cost to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Adelson reportedly made his offer in December 2017, shortly after US President Donald Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and promised to move the Embassy there. The report noted that the US State Department is investigating whether private donations may be accepted.
Both the White House and Adelson declined to comment on the report. The State Department said it had “nothing to announce” and “no confirmation or details” about whether Adelson would finance the move.
Adelson also owns the free, daily Hebrew language newspaper Yisrael Hayom.
Peace Plan
Speaking during a question-and-answer session at the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said that the Trump administration’s first draft of a Middle East peace plan is approaching its completion and will be presented in the near future. She did not mention any specific deadline for the plan’s release. Haley said, “They’re coming up with a plan. It won’t be loved by either side, and it won’t be hated by either side.”
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Tomb Vandalized
About a thousand people visited the tomb of Joshua (the biblical prophet and leader) in the village of Kifl Haris near the city of Ariel (Samaria) on Wednesday night to commemorate the anniversary of the death of Moses (the 7th day of Adar). They found the walls of the tomb vandalized with graffiti of swastikas and other anti-semitic phrases.
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Abbas in Baltimore
Accorder to Jewish Insider, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was sighted on Wednesday in Baltimore, Maryland. According to a source, Abbas is receiving medical treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
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