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Politics : Israel to U.S. : Now Deal with Syria and Iran -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: geode00 who wrote (6399)	12/8/2004 4:07:15 AM
From: GUSTAVE JAEGER	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 22250

Re: Except that [al Sistani] demands that Iraq's Constitution is essentially the Koran. That is, Iraq can have a democratic, secular government except when it dares to disagree with religion. Of course. Now, do YOU have a problem with that??!?! I mean, Iraq is not Alabama --do you expect Iraqi Shiites to abide by the Bible and the Ten Commandments? Iraq is no place for Jesus freaks... If you wanna set up a secular regime, why don't you just start with Texas? Or Alabama? Or Virginia? Or Israel? Clue: Love and Marriage in Israel: Palestinian and Non-Orthodox Israelis Need Not Apply By Suraya Dadoo From the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs January/February 2004 In February of last year, Gili and Sagi, a young Israeli couple, were “married” at sea—a marriage not legally recognized by the State of Israel. Although both are Jewish, the couple objected to the only marriage option open to them in Israel: an Orthodox Jewish ceremony. Instead, they chose a marriage contract they drew up together with a lawyer, thus rendering their union illegal. On the other side of the divide, Aneesa, an Arab Israeli who holds a Jerusalem ID, married a Jordanian three years ago. “Because he also carries a Gaza identity card, he is not allowed in Jerusalem,” said Aneesa. “Forget getting his own Jerusalem ID—he is not even allowed to visit here.” She cannot remember the last time she saw her husband. For all their seeming differences, the two couples have one thing in common: unhappiness with current Israeli marriage laws. For, while touted as the only “democracy” in the Middle East, Israel does not offer its citizens the option of civil marriage. Since 1953, the only marriages recognized as legal by the Jewish state are Orthodox Jewish marriages, and civil marriages performed outside Israel. While it does not prohibit interfaith and other religious marriages, Israel does not recognize them as legal unions. Aneesa’s problem stems from a new law passed by the Israeli Knesset in July which prohibits Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza Strip who marry Israeli Palestinians from obtaining residency permits and/or citizenship in Israel. Anyone else who marries an Israeli, however, is entitled to Israeli citizenship. Under the new law, only Palestinians are excluded from obtaining citizenship or residency. This means that “Arab Israelis”—about 20 percent of the Israeli population—who marry Palestinians from the West Bank or Gaza Strip must choose between moving to the occupied territories, or living apart from their spouse, as is the case with Aneesa. Children will be affected, too: after the age of 12 they will be denied citizenship or residency and forced to move out of Israel. [...] ifamericansknew.org