-Caveat Lector- Sex trafficking threatens U.S. aid By Joseph Algazy, Ha'aretz Correspondent and Agencies http://www2.haaretz.co.il/breaking-news/homenews/369016.stm 7/12/01 If the Israeli government does not take significant steps to halt trafficking in women, it will face U.S. sanctions. "Israel does not yet meet the minimum standards for combating trafficking in persons, and has not yet made significant efforts to combat the problem," the State Department said in a scalding report on human trafficking in 2001 issued Thursday night. The report cites Israel as "a destination country for women from Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, Brazil, Turkey, South Africa, and some countries in Asia." It includes Israel in a "Third Tier" list of 23 countries where human trafficking is endemic, but does note that Israel "has begun to take steps" to combat the trade - mainly in women for prostitution. The report was prepared under American legislation approved in October that calls for imposing economic sanctions in 2003 against countries that fail to act against traffickers or protect victims. If the government does not take significant steps to end the human trade, Israel will have to face the sanctions. Trafficking as a problem has reached "staggering" proportions around the globe, says the report. Research "clearly demonstrates that most governments are taking steps to curb this horrific practice ... of trafficked victims being subjected to threats against their person and family, violence, horrific living conditions and dangerous work places." The "root causes," says the report, "are greed, moral turpitude, economics, political instability and transitional and social factors." The report says the Israeli government "recognizes that trafficking in persons is a problem, but devotes limited resources to combating it." "In June 2000, the Knesset amended a 1997 prostitution law to prohibit the buying or selling of persons, or forcing a person to leave their country of residence to engage in prostitution. The penalties for rape and violation of the 1997 prostitution law require close to a doubling of sentences if the victim is a minor.ā€¯ Israeli law enforcement officials estimate that 85 percent of the prostitutes in the country are illegal aliens smuggled into Israel via Sinai. They say present laws do little to protect the women and enable the pimps and slave traders to operate with relative impunity. A report under preparation by a committee including police and prosecutors is nearing completion and is expected to include recommendations for a separate hostel for prostitutes escaping the clutches of slave traders, protection for the prostitutes when they testify against pimps, and a legal defense mechanism that eliminates a relatively common occurrence of the pimps hiring lawyers for the women. <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
