Jun 13, 2011

Taking The Sudanese Refugee Fight To North Tel Aviv

MK Dr. Michael Ben-Ari and right-wing activist Itamar Ben-Gvir have been leading the fight to have the Sudanese refugees that have taken over the neighborhoods of South Tel Aviv, and have been moving to other neighborhoods as well, deported. In the face of accusations of racism, they respond that the local residents are under siege, with climbing crime rates and their neighborhoods changing because of the refugees.

The people who have come to the defense of the refugees have mostly been the residents of the wealthier northern Tel Aviv neighborhoods, in the name of human rights.

Ben-Gvir and Ben-Ari have responded with claims that the north-Tel Avivians are hypocrites, as they are only defending the refugees rights to stay in Israel; as long as they stay in the more destitute neighborhoods of south Tel Aviv. They would never let them move to be their neighbors in north Tel Aviv. To that effect, Ben-Ari has threatened to rent a few apartments, and bring tens of Sudanese refugees to live in the apartments, and then see how much the north Tel Avivians defend their rights to be there.

I do not know why he has not yet done that, but he just brought the fight to their doorstep, albeit in a smaller way.

Refugees At The Pool
MK Ben-Ari decided he was going to sponsor a day at the pool for a group of the refugees. Not just any pool, but the most exclusive pool the north-Tel-Avivians use - "Breichat Gordon". Ben-Ari discreetly checked to make sure he could bring a group of 40-50 people, and he recorded the attendant telling him it is fine. He then went and bought 50 bathing suits, rented a bus, and went to South Tel Aviv and rounded up about 40 of the refugees, offering them 50NIS each, a trip to the pool and a free bathing suit.

Sudanese swimming in North Tel Aviv pool
Ben-Ari then brought his busload of Sudanese and Eritorians to the Gordon Pool. The attendant tried to stop them from coming in, but when everything was in order he had to let them in. The Sudanese took over the pool, jumping in, cooling off from the heat and having a great time. the north-Tel-Avivians who were there enjoying the pool all left the pool and disappeared, except for a few who tried to convince the Sudanese to leave and not let Ben-Ari take advantage of them. (source: NRG)

Ben-Ari did take advantage of them, but in exchange they got a day at the pool, a little bit of pocket change, and had a good time. the north-Tel-Avivians take advantage of them regularly and all they get out of it are crowded conditions in South Tel Aviv.

And if anyone cares, the north-Tel-Avivians have been exposed in their hypocrisy.
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2 comments:

  1. Ben waxmanJune 14, 2011 7:42 AM

    reshet bet interviewed a journalist who happened to be there when they came and he confirmed that the white folk all left. not only left, but really said some racist stuff about the visitors.

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  2. JoannaJune 14, 2011 2:06 PM

    Ben- you should really watch the video on NRG and see for yourself what happened. "the white folk"' as you call them were not actually leaving. They were expressing their disgust and contempt towards this stunt, and trying to let the refugees know they were being taken advantage of. The big commotion seen in the video was caused by the large groups of journalists that Gordon Pool did not want to let in. The other swimmers there largely seemed to care more about how outrageously racist and opportunistic this stunt was than the presence of the refugees themselves.

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