Avrum Burg: An American Jew contributing to New Israel Fund has no more
inherent right to Israeli citizenship than an Eskimo

Dr. Aaron Lerner Date: 8 August 2010

In an interview with Shalom Yerushalmi in the 6 August 2010 edition of the
Friday Supplement of Maariv (“Remember Me”) in which Burg discusses his
plans to form a new Israeli political party, Avrum Burg, who still enjoys a
jeep with driver paid for by the Jewish Agency (whose primary goals include
promoting Jewish immigration to Israel) as part of the benefits of having
chaired the organization 11 years ago, and now serves as one of the managers
of the New Israel Fund, made the following remark:

“The Law of Return had significance when the State was a life ring. 60-70
years have passed. The absolute majority of Jews live in the democratic
part of the world. There is still Zionism of catastrophes, telling people
to “quickly move to Israel because there will soon be a holocaust”, but I am
not there.

The Jewish world today does not need to be rescued. If there is, in any
case, a Jew being chased because he is a Jew, then he can qualify to
immigrate.

Every person can come to here not in accordance with the genetics of his
mother. If he comes to speak the language, serve the state, then why not?

Common destiny is more important than chromosomes.

Everyone who wants to become a citizen here will enter the waiting hall like
in any place in the world.”

AL: Under Law of Return, Jews do not have to “wait in the waiting hall” to
see if Israel will decide to grant them citizenship. Instead their very
existences as Jews (including those who convert to Judaism) gives them the
right to claim citizenship in Israel.

It would be interesting to know if the American Jews contributing to the New
Israel Fund are aware that one of their key people in Israel advocates
stripping them of the right to automatic citizenship.

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(Mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
Website: http://www.imra.org.il