1
Hotline for Migrant Workers
“
Cancer in Our Body
”
 
On Racial Incitement, Discrimination and Hate Crimes against African Asylum Seekers in Israel
January-June 2012
Writing and Editing: Elizabeth Tsurkov Research: Elizabeth Tsurkov and Sigal Rozen Translation: Gila Babich, Orna Dickman, Nelly Kfir, Romm Lewkowitz, Michal Peleg Photographs: Courtesy of ActiveStills
 
2
Table of Content
Executive Summary
…………………………………………
..
…………………. 2
 
Incitement against Asylum Seekers in Israel
 
………………
...
………………... 4
 
Asylum S
eekers are “Infiltrators”
 
and “Illegal Aliens”
 
…………………………………
4
 Asylum Seekers Are Criminals
………………………………………………………...
11
 
Asylum Seekers Spread Diseases ………………………………………………………
17
 Asylum Seekers
Are an Existential Demographic Threat …………………...…………
19
Asylum Seekers Are a Security Threat ………………………………………………...
29
 
Solutions Proposed by Israeli Officials to the “Problem” of the Asylum Seekers …….
 
32
 
Racism against Asylum Seekers in Israel
 
…………………………………….. 39
 
Racist Legislation ………………………………………………………………………
 
39
Racial Discrimination within the Judicial System ………………
.
…………………..
...
40
Racial Discrimination by Local Authorities ……………………………………………
41
Rabbinical Rulings against Asylum Seekers …………………………………………...
42
Hostility of the Israeli Public toward Asylum Seekers ………………………………...
43 Objections of Israelis to the Presence of Asylum Seekers
……………….. 44
 
Objections to Places of Worship of Asylum Seekers ………………...……..….
47
Hate Crimes against Asylum Seekers
 
……………………………………….... 49
 
Eilat …………………………………………………………………………………….
50
Tel Aviv ………………………………………………………………………………...
51
Other Cities …………………………………………………………………………….
55
Recommendations
 
………………………………
...
………………………….… 58
 
 
3
Executive Summary
This report covers six months of ceaseless incitement against African asylum seekers, which has  been promulgated by Knesset members, various government officials and even the Prime Minister. The incendiary rhetoric has brought on a major wave of hate crimes against asylum seekers, which were previously a rare phenomenon in Israel. The report cites dozens of statements of incitement made by decision makers against African migrants. The five major claims made by opinion leaders against asylum seekers in Israel are: 1.
 
Asylum seekers are illegal migrant workers, infiltrators and invaders. 2.
 
Asylum seekers are criminals. 3.
 
Asylum seekers spread disease. 4.
 
Asylum seekers pose a demographic threat to Israel. 5.
 
Asylum seekers pose a security threat to Israel. The report lists two racist and discriminatory laws that were passed over the past six months: the Anti-Infiltration Law and a legislation that bars asylum seekers from working in the recycling industry. This document also describes other attempts to pass racist bills, as well as bigoted decrees made by rabbis and discrimination within the court system. Furthermore, the report details the hate crimes that have been covered by the media, as well incidents that were reported to the Hotline for Migrant Workers by asylum seekers. We consider these violent incidents a direct outcome of the campaign of incitement that is addressed in this document. The Hotline for Migrant Workers would like to call the attention of decision makers to the rampant incitement and its devastating consequences, and urges them to take action against this reprehensible trend before it leads to the loss of life.
View on Scribd
Back to document