An unnecessary war atmosphere

Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's negligent leadership is primarily responsible for the African infiltrator problem in Israel. Olmert's government did not take the trouble to extend the fence along Israel's border with Egypt, allowing mass infiltration into Israeli territory. It was under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in fact, that the border was finally sealed, putting an end to the flood of African migrants flowing through Egypt into Israel.

Because of this success, the infiltrators are no longer arriving (even if just yesterday 10 were caught). I therefore find it difficult to understand the fervor with which our authorities are dealing with their deportation. This issue should be managed with goodwill, generosity and empathy. The atmosphere of war surrounding this issue is unnecessary and detrimental, and reached new undemocratic heights when MK Miri Regev (Likud) and Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein (Yisrael Beytenu) prevented migrant representatives from entering the Knesset for a pre-arranged meeting with MKs.

The root of "parliament" is "parler," to discuss, to talk, and if they cannot speak in the Knesset, then people will throw Molotov cocktails in the street. Where is the logic? What's happened to us, to Israel's democratic values-

We are now entrenched in a new reality, in which the wisdom of many sages is not sufficient to rectify the mistakes of one hot-head. A compromise by the government will be mistaken for weakness. But instead of preparing for a fight, there is room to consider the following three measures: The government ought to continue its efforts to persuade infiltrators to voluntarily leave Israel, even by increasing financial incentives. It should also convince those Israelis who are pushing the migrants to protest in the streets and squares of Tel Aviv to invite them to their own upscale north Tel Aviv neighborhoods, to take some of the pressure off of south Tel Aviv. It would also be smart to try to speak with the leaders of the migrant movement about determining a fixed number of infiltrators permitted to remain in Israel, with the rest to leave.

Those permitted to stay should have the option of learning a profession, so as not to remain stuck as dishwashers and street sweepers, as well as the option, should they choose, to be incorporated into the Jewish people.

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