The Curious Case of Leo Franks
Is Israel still the homeland of all Jews?
Leo Franks is a British Jew currently doing post grad work at UCLA Berkeley. He was excited about making Aliyah to Israel, where he grew up. He moved in with his Israeli girlfriend in April and was excited to begin his new life as an Israeli, a Jew who has been naturalized as a citizen of the Jewish homeland.
Leo received a deportation order. Israeli authorities ordered him to leave Israel by Sunday September 23. Leo’s Aliyah proceedings stopped. Officials didn’t respond to media inquiries. Denying Aliyah constitutes a sober decision with serious repercussions. According to the Law of Return, two reasons exist to deny a citizenship application: the applicant:
(1) is engaged in an activity directed against the Jewish people; or
(2) is likely to endanger public health or the security of the State.
The principal injustice Franks helped expose was in the South Hebron Hills, where he filmed the arrest of a Palestinian child. "I saw seven soldiers approach the child, so I took out my camera and was immediately arrested," he said. His passport was confiscated, thereby preventing him from continuing with the immigration application. — Haaretz
Leo has a theory that he has been kicked because of his politics—he wonders out loud if he has the wrong kind of politics to be an Israeli. Do left wing politics now pose a threat to the state of Israel? According to Ben Gvir, Minister responsible for the Israeli police force, they do. Let’s review the details of Leo Frank’s engagement in political activism in Israel.
Leo was arrested leaving a protest for the release of the hostages. The Israeli police cooperate with the Bibi regime, which designate as enemy the protesters calling for the release of hostages.
Leo visited the South Hebron Hills, where Israeli settlers attack Palestinians and Bedouin shepherds. The Israeli police enable Israeli settler violence against Palestinians in WB/HH.
Leo photographed the IDF arresting a Palestinian child. "I saw seven soldiers approach the child, so I took out my camera and was immediately arrested," Leo said.
The Israeli police confiscated Leo’s passport, calling him a criminal provocateur. This effectively stopped his immigration process.
The immigration authority refused to extend Leo’s visitor visa and process his immigration application when police notified them of Leo’s arrest.
When Franks appealed to the District Court for the return of his passport, “Shmuel Ashkenazi, representing the police … said that "the aim is to have him leave the country,” according to Haaretz.
Fact A. Israel is the homeland of the Jewish people, according to some. The Law of Return states that all Jews have a right to immigrate to Israel and apply to be citizens. Endangering the security of the state or the interests of the Jewish people are the only reasons to deny a Jew Israeli citizenship.
Fact B. America gives $3.3 billion to Israel, all for security and military purposes. America has the Leahy Law to prevent American funds from being transferred to any foreign security units committing gross violations of human rights.
QUESTION 1 :: Does it endanger the security of the state or is it an act against the Jewish people to attend non violent and legal assemblies being held to exercise the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances?
QUESTION 2 :: What does the Right of Return mean? Is it in service of the nation state or the Jewish people and why am I supposed to believe these two interests are always the same and never at odds? Do North Americans think free speech for Israelis matters?
QUESTION 3 :: Do the activities of the IDF and Israeli police constitute a gross violation of human rights? Treatment of Israeli anti government protesters and the investigative reportage regarding abuse of POWs and abuse of power on the front line has been somewhat widely reported and largely overlooked by the pro Israel pro military retribution crowd.
When we look at the man responsible for the Israeli police force and prison system, Itamar Ben Gvir, it’s not difficult to see the policy of the Israeli government. That doesn’t mean anything beyond the government has a problem because it’s chosen a direction that’s not in the best interest of Israel or Israelis or anyone really.
It’s time for rationality to prevail and for the emotional thinking of extremism that ultimately breeds abuse and terror to take a backseat.