tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327541079817275176.post8239073560146713670..comments2023-03-23T03:53:03.110-07:00Comments on The New Jewish Question: Information Regarding the Refugee Situation in Israel: Staying Informed and Understanding the SituationUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327541079817275176.post-10321184198623946762014-01-14T07:20:35.911-08:002014-01-14T07:20:35.911-08:00Although you are correct that the 'safe countr...Although you are correct that the 'safe country' principle is not directly in the convention it has become an accepted principle. The 'first safe country principle' sates that a refugee should ask for asylum in the first safe country it passes through, however there are certain caveats to this. The country must be safe, and it must be assured that there will be no chain refoulment. If Israel sends an asylum seeker back to Egypt and Egypt then sends them back to the country they were fleeing Israel will be repsonsible. It is also generally accepted that the country must agree to the asylum seeker being sent back. <br /><br />It is also argued that the principle should be used to prevent forum shopping, that is once someone has a link to the first safe country they should ask for asylum there. It is argued that passing through a country on transit, like many asylum seekers from Sudan and Eritrea pass through Egypt on their way to Israel were not in Egypt long enough to form a substantial link. <br /><br />Lastly although Egypt is a singnatory to the Refugee convention they are not considered a country which grants the necessary protection to asylum seekers. for example Canada does not list them as a safe country. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/reform-safe.asp,<br /> and read the UNHCR report http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/page?page=49e486356<br /><br />The fact that the Israeli government hasn't deported all the asylum seekers back to Egypt could also be seen as an indication that the government is aware that Egypt is not actually safe.<br /><br />Further reading:<br />Moore, Andrew F 'Unsafe in America: A review of the US-Canada Safe Third Country Agreement'.http://digitalcommons.law.scu.edu/lawreview/vol47/iss2/1<br />the refugee http://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae68ccec.html Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13606008433764282484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327541079817275176.post-7768945295337412072014-01-12T09:47:40.668-08:002014-01-12T09:47:40.668-08:00"According to the Convention the first safe c..."According to the Convention the first safe country is responsible for the asylum seekers. Egypt is not considered 'safe' for asylum seekers." Which is why you explain that Israel is obligated to take in the refugees, since it is the first "safe" country they get to.<br /><br />In actuality, there is no definition of "safe" and "unsafe" countries in the Convention.<br /><br />Paragraph 1 of Article 31 states that: The Contracting States shall not impose penalties, on account of their illegal entry or presence, on refugees who, coming directly from a territory where their life or freedom was threatened in the sense of article 1, enter or are present in their territory without authorization, provided they present themselves without delay to the authorities and show good cause for their<br />illegal entry or presence."<br /><br />What the Convention does point out, however, is that the refugees are those who are coming DIRECTLY from the country of their persecution, which would be Egypt for most of them. Egypt is legally obligated to accept them and not punish them for illegal entry. Israel is not the first country they directly come to. I think it's important to clarify that in your FAQ, especially since as far as I can tell, the word "safe" doesn't even appear in the Convention onceAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07927262739805144634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327541079817275176.post-36605971696345427022014-01-10T14:07:42.976-08:002014-01-10T14:07:42.976-08:00i posted that comment - you can reach me at sarahg...i posted that comment - you can reach me at sarahgroner at gmail dot comUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01261529666671387428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327541079817275176.post-28926227472933344012014-01-10T08:44:02.485-08:002014-01-10T08:44:02.485-08:00Don't know why it says unknown. Yoel KDon't know why it says unknown. Yoel KUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09512360214851658347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327541079817275176.post-37719780167905400272014-01-10T08:42:38.658-08:002014-01-10T08:42:38.658-08:00Well said. Thank you for raising people's info...Well said. Thank you for raising people's informed awareness to this serious and complex situation. Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09512360214851658347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327541079817275176.post-58216300617410079482014-01-10T05:36:10.638-08:002014-01-10T05:36:10.638-08:00Thanks for your comment- here is an Oped I've ...Thanks for your comment- here is an Oped I've already written for the Times of Israel: http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/why-being-a-zionist-has-led-me-to-support-israels-asylum-seekers/<br /><br />I also have a oped that will be published in the Jpost, that will be published soon.<br /><br />The idea of this post is to inform people on the facts and what's happening. Those two opeds summarize the main points. <br /><br />Thanks for the support!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11614975832439837150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327541079817275176.post-70933608483145480962014-01-10T00:14:49.178-08:002014-01-10T00:14:49.178-08:00Have you thought about publishing this as an op-ed...Have you thought about publishing this as an op-ed or letter to the editor? A shorter version would be really helpful if we could get it on other forums, like the Times of Israel or J Post. Great work!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01261529666671387428noreply@blogger.com