Advs3 writes....
“ In Lod .......the municipality was forced to take action against a number of it’s citizens, some of whom HAPPENED to be Arabs. “
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
“ Under the Lod municipality’s policy the city only destroys structures in which no one was living.”
On the 13 / 12 /10 , at 8.00 am on the coldest ,wettest day of the year, around 500 Israeli police descended on 7 houses occupied by an extended family. Houses the family had lived in for over 50 years. In one house the police pointed their guns at a brother and sister , aged 12 and 13, then forced them outside with the other occupants and carried on in a similar vein until all seven houses were emptied of people and then bulldozed into rubble. No one was allowed to take with them any of their possessions. On one pile of stones a grand mother sat wailing hysterically at the refusal of the police to allow her to take a bag of rice with her.
Today there is a new refugee camp close by Ben Gurion airport. Here over 70 people including 37 children are living in the most squalid, insanitary and impossible circumstances, barely sheltered from the elements.
Can anyone name one real western style democracy where such things could happen at all let alone on a regular basis.
“ Once again anti Israel agitators are taking advantage of Israel’s democracy to try and make a local planning issue into one of discrimination against Arabs. “
Virtually all the demolitions are of Arab homes. Hundreds of Arab homes in Lod are under immediate demolition orders.Perhaps Adv might be able to inform us how many Jewish homes are the subject of such orders. Thirty per cent of Lod residents are Arab and more than 70 % of their homes have no legal status on account of the city’s discriminatory permit granting policy. In the most recently demolished neighbourhood the city repeatedly rejected applications for permits on the grounds that the area had been designated as “ agricultural “ despite the fact that the homes had been there for many decades. At the same time the city granted a permit for a 7 hectare campus to a Jewish religious college right next to the demolished area. The mayor explained that the campus will “ bring thousands of religious students and their families to Lod “ and , according to Brigadier Ilan Harari , “bring in high quality residents.”
On October 7th last, Minister of the interior Eli Yishai, told Israeli media “ the thing that will help Lod most will be bringing into the city another 50,000 jews.That is what will save and preserve the city. I see no other possible solution to the problem. “
What exactly does he perceive the problem to be ? Lod has a population of 70,000 70 % of which are Jewish. And he feels compelled to bring another 50,000 Jews. Do the maths. What is this all about ? I have my suspicions as you , I am sure, have yours.
There are 46,000 Arab homes subject to demolition orders in Israel. There is no reason why I should do all the work. Maybe Adv will share the burden, do some research and tell us how many Jewish homes are subject to such orders. Because if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck.....