Give That Man A Passport!
Article taken from Der Spiegel:
Toto Tamuz is a striker for Beitar Jerusalem, the most successful striker in the league, in fact, with 10 goals to his name this season; a talent that could shoot Israel to Euro 2008.
But now, Tamuz is on strike: he was down to play for his country against the Ukraine later this month, but turned down the nomination. The reason? He wants an Israeli passport. He belongs to the 'stateless': he was born in Nigeria, but moved with his parents to Israel when he was two. He remained there illegally until December 2005. Only then did the Israeli Interior Ministry grant him a temporary Residence Permit, and only through this was he able to play at all for the national team. Now his Permit has expired; Tamuz does not want to extend it, he demands instead a passport: "I represent Israel with pride. I would like it to treat me the same."
The Minstry turned down his application. Just because Tamuz is a well-known footballer does not mean he has "a right to Israeli Citizenship". Tamuz has taken his case to the Supreme Court. Israel plays England in a Euro 2008 qualifier on 24th March. Quite possibly without Toto Tamuz.
As in the title: TT for Israel! Give him a passport!
Toto Tamuz is a striker for Beitar Jerusalem, the most successful striker in the league, in fact, with 10 goals to his name this season; a talent that could shoot Israel to Euro 2008.
But now, Tamuz is on strike: he was down to play for his country against the Ukraine later this month, but turned down the nomination. The reason? He wants an Israeli passport. He belongs to the 'stateless': he was born in Nigeria, but moved with his parents to Israel when he was two. He remained there illegally until December 2005. Only then did the Israeli Interior Ministry grant him a temporary Residence Permit, and only through this was he able to play at all for the national team. Now his Permit has expired; Tamuz does not want to extend it, he demands instead a passport: "I represent Israel with pride. I would like it to treat me the same."
The Minstry turned down his application. Just because Tamuz is a well-known footballer does not mean he has "a right to Israeli Citizenship". Tamuz has taken his case to the Supreme Court. Israel plays England in a Euro 2008 qualifier on 24th March. Quite possibly without Toto Tamuz.
As in the title: TT for Israel! Give him a passport!
posted by jimhancot at Wednesday, March 07, 2007
1 Comments:
As an Israeli I am ashamed that he did not get a passport sooner...
Fortunately the new minister of interior gave him an Israeli passport
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