August 26, 2010 Pressure Mounts to Stop Deportation of Children, Seperate But Equal- OK

The story of the 400 children born to foreign workers in Israel, who are about to be deported, has taken center stage in the last few days. A number of influencial Israelis have spoken out against the planned deportations. It started last week when Sara Netanyahu, in an unusual move, spoke out against the deportation. Today both Defense Minister Barak and President Peres spoke out against the deportation, both on a moral basis and on what the images of the deportation would do to Israel’s image.

Barak has called for a new cabinet meeting to reevaluate the decision. Prime Minister Netanyahu is resisting the call. He is afraid of Interior Minister Yishai, who has been the prime mover behind the deportation, and is threatening a coalition crisis if the matter is reconsidered. With Netanyahu’s more serious problem (a coalition crisis over the decision relating to the pending resumption of building, after the expiration of the current freeze), the deportation situation is problem Netanyhu is afraid to touch.

Of course, the bigger question that needs to be asked is, when did those who claim to be religious Jews become the symbols or racism and intolerance? Yesterday the Ministry of Education officially approved the establishment of a new school in Emmanual just for Ashkenzi Haredim– thus giving into the pressure by the Haredim in Emmanuel again– so now it is official... It's ok to discriminate against Sepharic girls. Meanwhile, on the substantive problem, Dennis Ross arrived in Israel to try to work out some type of compromise on the issue of the settlement freeze. Netanyahu is stuck between the proverbial "rock" and "a hard place". If he agrees to a continued settlement freeze of any kind, he risks losing his coalition. If he does not agree to the freeze, he risks losing his newly developed rapport with the Obama administration, and ending the peace talks he claims he wants. One thing is clear, the resolution to the problem will come at the last moment.

Two worthwhile links: The first is an article by Daniel Gordis, entitled: In Praise of Shame The second, is an article by Yoram Hazony: More on Kuhn, Kant and the Nation-State. They are both difficult articles, but are worth reading.