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Kids at Monday's rally
Photo: Dudi Vaaknin
MK Horowitz. 'Stop persecuting them'
Photo: Yaron Brener

'Foreign workers' kids victims of failures'

While government has yet to make final decision on fate of foreign workers' children, aid organizations to continue their struggle demanding permanent residence status for kids. 'We will not let State deport children in order to bring new migrates and make a profit'

A ministers' meeting chaired by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to make a final decision Monday on the fate of the children of foreign workers residing in Israel. Although the children are not likely to be deported before the end of the current school year, aid organizations are not planning to sit and wait.

 

A protest rally against the possible deportation is expected to take place in Tel Aviv on Tuesday evening. The place and time of the demonstration will be published in the morning hours.

 

Monday's meeting was attended the interior, social services, education, justice and finance ministers.

 

The Prime Minister's Office said at the end of the meeting that a final decision had not been made. "The prime minister announced that the discussion will be resumed in the coming days and that a decision on the matter will only be made after all aspects are considered."

 

Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar said following the meeting that "we must refrain from deporting any children studying in the education system."

 

Sa'ar added that "the government's interim decision not to deport the children until the end of the school year must be extended, and in the meantime we must set a comprehensive policy."

 

In the meantime, the government has no clear policy on the matter, and the organizations are calling on the public to join their activities, protest the possible deportation and defend the foreigners' children.

 

"Any decision to deport the children – today or at the end of the year – is an unethical and inhumane decision," the Israeli Children organization, which organized a protest outside the Knesset on Monday, said in a statement. "Postponing the decision regarding the children's fate leaves them in a state of terrible anxiety and insecurity. This only prolongs and increases the children's suffering."


 

'I love Israel.' One of children during Monday's rally (Photo: Dudi Vaaknin)

 

"The children don't have to pay the price of the failures which took place in the country over the years," the organization added. "We brought their parents here, and we are responsible for them. We will not let the State deport children in order to bring new migrates through the back door and make profits. Those who think that deporting the children is a real attempt to solve the immigration problem are letting government elements deceive them."

 

The Israeli Children organization is planning a photography exhibition in order to raise the public's awareness to the issue.

 

'Unreasonable decision'

The Hotline for Migrant Workers also responded angrily to the discussion's results. "We regret this miserable and cruel decision, which – if implement – will tear 2,000 children away from the only country they know. However, we are preparing, together with human rights organizations, to continue the battle in order for a recognition of the status of migrant workers' children.

 

"The decision to expel 2,000 children from the country appears completely unreasonable, especially when thousands of new migrant workers are being brought here every year, by the same government which arrests and deports the children."

 

Knesset Member Nitzan Horowitz (Meretz), who opposes the deportation, also slammed the discussion's results. "The decision on a deportation at the end of the school year is a despicable decision deceiving the public," he said.

 

"The government is ignoring the fact that these children were born here, speak Hebrew and know no other language or country. They are Israelis for every intent and purpose and must be granted a permanent status instead of being persecuted like criminals."

 

About three months ago, MK Horowitz submitted a bill aimed at prohibiting the imprisonment of children of refugees and foreign workers under the age of 14. The bill also sets restrictions on the imprisonments of children over the age of 14. If the law is adopted by the Knesset, the police will not be able to arrest a foreign worker living Israel with his or her children, and they will be given an extension period to leave the country willingly.

 

Another official opposing the deportation is Social Affairs Minister Isaac Herzog, who told Ynet before Monday's meeting that he would fight any decision which would lead to the children's deportation, noting that these were children in a state of risk and distress, and that therefore "they must be handled regardless of their identity."

 


פרסום ראשון: 10.13.09, 00:51
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