-Caveat Lector- Sharon approves Ethiopian airlift http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,2763,896957,00.html Chris McGreal in Jerusalem Monday February 17, 2003 The Guardian
Ariel Sharon's government yesterday approved the immediate airlift of about 20,000 Ethiopians with Jewish roots who have spent years demanding the right to settle in Israel. The group, known as the Falash Mura, were left behind during the mass evacuation of Ethiopian Jews in 1984 because Israel said they had converted to Christianity. But the government has relented under pressure from the ultra-orthodox Shas party - which controls Israel's interior ministry and sets immigration policy - after its spiritual leader ruled that the Falash Mura were forced to convert to stave off persecution. The party compared them to Spanish Jews forced to become Christians to avoid the Inquisition. Israel secretly airlifted tens of thousands of Jews from Ethiopia in 1984, and a second group seven years later. But it turned away thousands of Falash Mura who tried to board the planes, saying they were not Jewish, or, if they had once been Jews, it was so long ago as to be irrelevant. But over the past decade, about 18,000 Falash Mura have left their homes across Ethiopia for camps near centres run by activists in the capital Addis Ababa, and the northern city of Gondar. There they have agitated to be allowed into Israel. Yesterday's decision was opposed by the housing minister, Natan Sharansky, because some scholars question whether the Falash Mura were ever Jewish or just adopted similar religious rituals. But Mr Sharon is keen to bolster immigration, which has tailed off towards the end of the exodus of nearly a million Jews from the former Soviet Union. He has said he wants another million immigrants before the end of the decade to offset the growth in the Arab population. Guardian Unlimited � Guardian Newspapers Limited 2003 Forwarded for your information. The text and intent of the article have to stand on their own merits. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without charge or profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this type of information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe simply because it has been handed down for many genera- tions. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumoured by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is written in Holy Scriptures. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of teachers, elders or wise men. Believe only after careful observation and analysis, when you find that it agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all. Then accept it and live up to it." The Buddha on Belief, from the Kalama Sut <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
