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The pursuit of European passports: 'There's somewhere to escape to'
Michal Margalit
Published: 10.02.14, 08:26
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1. Moslems, rather than Jews, will apply for Spanish passports
Jake   (02.10.14)
claiming that they were also expelled from Spain in 1492, and are therefore entitled to "right of return". Don't believe me? Just wait and see.
2. Doesn't surprise me why people would leave Israel
Gil ,   TLV --> London   (02.10.14)
Its become untenable here with mad prices and soaring prices wherever you go, not just Tel Aviv. Only super rich can afford to stay here. I love Israel but I guess i'll have to support it from London, its cheaper there.
3. Economies down = Jews Wanted !
Roland Seener ,   London England   (02.10.14)
4. 500 years too late
BUILD BABY BUILD!!!! ,   United States   (02.10.14)
If Spain expelled her Jews once, what's to prevent her from doing it again? I wouldn't trust Spaniards as far as I could spit. They hate Jews in Europe. KEEP BUILDING !!!
5. Place we can escape to??
NSan ,   Israel   (02.10.14)
I must ask the writer of this article, did you interview the rich residents of North Tel Aviv whos kids were draft dodgers? In times of war and threats, the cowardly thing to do would be to "escape" to another country. On the contrary, many european Jews are escaping to Israel because there is no where else to go and feel free as a Jew. In general, who ever was interviewed on this subject is a disgrace for the educated Israeli who understands our place in the world.
6. There Is No Escaping The Nation Of Israel
Yishai Kohen ,   YeShA, Israel   (02.10.14)
And our role in the world. You can run but you can't hide. It will always catch up to you.
7. The right of return to Portugal has existed for 7 months!
Michael Redbourn ,   Lisbon Portugal   (02.10.14)
8. #2 It is what I do
Sarah B ,   Tel Aviv/London   (02.10.14)
Although I wish I had picked a warmer country to be honest though. It is freezing here, and the water is rising
9. I am pleased that a second passport
Sarah B ,   Tel Aviv/London   (02.10.14)
as an insurance policy will now be available to more people. Why should Bibi Netanyahu be the only one to have a bolthole if required. Although not everybody will be able to afford a ranch in Florida I have made no secret that I held on to my British citizenship when I became an Israel, just so I had an insurance policy and access to the National health Service. Whilst being able to be a jew in Israel (well really somewhere warm to have a holiday in an apartment I rent out subsidised by another 2 apartments which I rent out to ordinary decent Israelis who have lower rents as they care for my apartment. If Ynet went and had a look I think they would find arrangements like this all over Israel
10. The bedouins of Europe have spoken
Salem ,   Jerusalem   (02.10.14)
Jews and Moslems were expelled but only Jews get this privilege, I smell economic reasons behind it..the Spaniards are a primitive society, irrational and never heared of the word Justice, morals, or ethics...
11. #2 Sad but true...
(02.10.14)
12. #5 what EU or USA Jews 'escape' to here in Israel
alon   (02.10.14)
maybe for tax avoidance reasons and to find a jewish partner is the ultimate goal from my experience...
13. TO Gil, TLV - London # 2.
FO ,   Belgium   (02.10.14)
You wrote about why people would leave Israel: "Its become untenable with mad prices and soaring prices wherever you go, not just Tel Aviv...". You are 100% right! And the reason for all this? One single word: CORRUPTION! In the corruption index scale, Denmark is Nr. 1, the less corrupted country, while Israel is Nr. 36! It's scandalous, outrageous! But this explains a lot. Far from the Biblical prescription: "Tsedek, tsedek tirdof, lemaan tichye - Justice, justice you will pursue, and for this sake you will live".
14. if your a citizen of a country you can have a passport
zionist forever   (02.10.14)
The idea of a European passport is not some kind of privilege given to Ashkenaz its the fact that many of them are olin and so they have citizenship of the country they came from as well as Israel. What would be nice is if Israel had a visa waiver scheme for the US & some EU countries. Israel allows them to enter without a visa but its not a privilege that works both ways.
15. reparations yes, citizenship no
r ,   Atlanta   (02.10.14)
History repeats itself.
16. Pursuit of a nice weather...
AVouskila ,   South America   (02.10.14)
it was a very smart interlude, introducing an Israeli with a German passport who decided to return to the "safety of the homeland" because of.......nice weather. No an inkling of patriotism, not a second look at the at the longing for the community or the dream of two thousands years: Judaism!! who is speaking about who we are Sephardim or...Ashkenazim; except when a NARRATIV is apropo. This is the time to teach the new generation that Europe is just an interlude, and Jews are for ISrael. And whether I may choose, as a Sepharadi, to add another passport to my collection. But the essential is to rekindle the Jewish story in its magnificience for 400years.
17. #6 I disagree
JustMe ,   Israel   (02.10.14)
While the individual Jewish person might have a hard time ever assimilating 100% due to anti-semitism and the attitudes of others, the next generations are quickly absorbed into non-Jewish society.
18. Schlesinger, Bloch?
Mark ,   London, UK   (02.10.14)
Are these really Sefardi names? Interesting how different these are from those I have encountered in Spain. The nearest is Zuaretz which I guess is cognate with Suarez.
19. #15 Easy to say sat in Atlanta
Sarah B ,   Tel Aviv/London   (02.10.14)
I certainly will not listen to someone safe and sound in Atlanta Georgia telling me to do as I say not as I do. Having a European Passport will give many people the peace of mind to make a go of living in Israel proper particularly during these turbulent times when we are not sure what the future will bring. Come and live within the range of the rockets, burn your American passport then we will talk
20. #17, thats what they told themselves in germany
Danny   (02.10.14)
21. Switzerland nuke shelters better
Zechariah   (02.10.14)
Israel ought build Swiss type nuke shelters have submarines and Hovercraft and Megajumbojets on Solar power that will be a better escape .I don't believe Europe except maybe Switzerland is at all Prepared.
22. #17 JustMe: History Proves Otherwise
Yishai Kohen ,   YeShA, Israel   (02.10.14)
The 2 examples that immediately come to mind are Medieval Spain and early 20th century Germany, but there are so many more examples from history. If you forget you're a Jew, the non-Jews will always remind you. It's only a matter of when and how.
23. #2, are you living under a bridge?
Danny   (02.10.14)
If you think London is cheaper than Israel
24.  Spanish Justice may help save their economy
ky   (02.10.14)
Six hundred years have passed before Spain has finally realized the injustice and cruelty that they have committed towards Jews. Lets get it clear this is the issue . Despite all this I still love Spain and the Spanish people. We should not forget Franco never handed over Jews to the German Nazis despite intense pressure. However it does not excuse the history of torture and persecution. It goes a some way towards recognizing this fact that Spain should appeal for Jews to come and live there. Their Jewish population is the lowest in Europe and the whole nation would benefit from Jewish enterprise and invention. Much more so than allowing it to be turned into a transit camp to Mecca. When you travel through Spain a short stop on a motorway leaves you stepping over bodies sleeping on the floor of toilets. No economic miracles will come out of this.
25. #20, #22 Rebuttal
JustMe ,   Israel   (02.10.14)
Do you really believe that somone two, three, and four generations down the line who had a Jewish grandfather who married out is going to be a) considered Jewish by the Jewish community and b) considered Jewish by the anti-semites? The answer in our modern society is no. Getting struck by lightning is going to be more of a risk than persecution based on ancestry for those people.
26. Prof. Zeev Tzahor is plain wrong!
Igor ,   Germany   (02.10.14)
"If there's a place that's the least safe for Jews, it's the Jewish state" So Hungary is better? Sweden? France? Germany? To say nothing of Syria, Libya and similar. Mr. Tzahor, please name me ONE SINGLE EU country where Jews may freely wear a kippah in public and at work, circumcise their children without being called child molesters, eat kosher without being called animal torturers, and where synagogues don't look like fortresses.
27. Access to the national health service is no longer
Joe   (02.10.14)
Valid if you have lived away more than three years and are no longer resident of the UK. Been law for many years. I also have British citizenship but have to take out medical insurance when I visit the UK.
28. Another regard on the Offer.
AVouskila ,   South America   (02.10.14)
The uneasyness the Ashkenazi Israeli establishment feels about the "Spanish Offer" to a large component of its population, might raise some legal headwinds about a form of interference. But it also unravel the whole myth that only Basel Declaration could solve the Jewish Welfare and Security. This out of the box move by Spain might potential force the Establishment to reasses its attachment to that Declaration. Which Passport is more "secured" ?!the one promising the safety of the Jewish Communities in the Diaspora and or the fragmented situation in Israel, where the level plain field is somehow squeud. Times are changing, transparency should be the healing mother for the creation of new narrative for Israel as a Jewish home....
29. Is this a plot..
The Kibitzer ,   Adelaide, Australia   (02.10.14)
by the Palestinians to de-populate Israel? Already Jews are preparing to leave. And how could Israelis accept a right of return to Spain without giving a similar right to Palestinians to return to Israel? This offer from Spain is a catastrophe for Zionism.
30. Come back to Europe
Max ,   France   (02.10.14)
Forever. you are more welcome here than the ME.
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