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OUTLINE

A Colombian man is suing Israel's government after having been refused Aliyah. The case is pending in before the country's Supreme Court and has brought international media attention to Israel's controversial Law of Return. As local community groups organize in support of the plaintiff, the government has been forced to address the issue before the existing Knesset Committee for Immigration, Absorption and Diaspora Affairs which in turn formed a sub-committee to address growing debate regarding the origins of the country's Ashkenazi majority.

Minister of Diaspora

Teenagers claiming neo-nazi affiliation (Task Force 36)

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NIGHT, CENTRAL BUS STATION, TEL AVIV, ISRAEL

The head-beams of the Tel-Aviv bound bus from Jerusalem illuminates the glowing paint from a freshly tagged swastika on the pillars supporting the elevated highway. On the sidewalk below, an African man wearing a colorful Fulbe robe stretches a three square meters cloth on which he lays out an assortments of fake Gucci sunglasses and Louis Vuitton handbags. After stopping his bus, the driver opens its side trunks and drops bags and suitcases by the street vendor's display as passengers disembark. First thrilled by the spontaneous crowd, the African man, grows nervous as passengers rush around the bus' trunks, stepping over his merchandise and getting confused when sorting out their luggage amongst the fake LVs. As passengers dissipates and the bus leaves, the man counts his units and re-arranges his layout. Peter Elliott, the last passenger to have disembarked, fixes a daisy at his buttonhole smiles at the African man, and walks away.

From across the street, a teenager purposely throws his cigarette butt which lands on the vendor's cloth. The African man, quickly removes the lit cigarette but still notices a hole in the material. He looks up to now see four teenagers wearing Doc Martins boots at the foot of his display. He addresses them in elementary Hebrew but they reply in Russian.

-Why did you do this? You burnt a hole man.

The Russians look at each other as one tries on a pair of sunglasses.

-Sorry, man, I thought this was trash.

He grabs three other pairs of glasses and hands one each to his buddies.

-Anyways, what are you doing here, man... can't you see the sign, gesturing towards the painted swastika. This means no niggers.

The African man looks around to assess how isolated he is from other passers-by, and judging that he'll have to deal with the situation on his own, he folds his cloth without even packing anything first. The Russians laugh out loudly as he walks away carrying his pouch over his shoulder.

-That's it man, climb back up your tree.

SUB-COMMITTEE ON EUROPEAN DIASPORA, KNESSET, JERUSALEM

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Israel's Minister of Diaspora addresses members of the select sub-committee on European Diaspora in the wake of the publication of a new study lead by Dr. O. Landese from the University of Geneva's Department of Genetics & Evolution. The new study about the peopling of Europe confirms key findings from another recent study which had been widely debated in Zionist, anti-Zionist, scientific and pseudo-scientific circles around the globe.

The main committee, which was dealing with the growing dissatisfaction regarding the Law of Return coming from Sephardi community groups supporting the case of a Colombian man which was refused right of return and Israeli citizenship. The man, whose mother was a Christian of Native American origins could not unequivocally demonstrate that his late father was Jewish although the lineage was clear for Sephardi experts.

The combination of the two events in the midst of growing racism in Israel led to the government's establishment of the sub-committee.

CHANEL 10 TELEVISION STUDIO, TEL-AVIV

Ultra-Nationalist Knesset member Baruch Dershowitz is the guest of a news program along with Noam ben Hammou the leader of a left leaning Sephardi community group.

Baruch Dershowitz accuses Noam ben Hammou of helping the propagation of anti-Semitic arguments. Ben Hammou responds, with a sardonic smile.

NBH -Well, actually, right to the contrary, we are advocating for pro-Semitic policies to balance out the disproportionally high percentage of Europeans making Aliyah. The man we're representing, maybe of a Native North-American matrilineage and of Christian faith, but it is clear, through the DNA tests we've conducted, that his patrilineal heritage has deep roots in the our region.

BD -Deep roots in the region mean nothing. We cannot start to genetically select who we accept and who we don't. The process in place has worked for over sixty years. The claimant has to demonstrate both undeniable family roots and a basic knowledge of the precepts of Judaism. In this case, the claimant failed in both tests.

NBH -But you have to remember that this man, Mr. Diaz, lost his father at a very young age, an was then raised by a Catholic mother in a deeply religious environment. How could he possibly know any of the precepts of Judaism. He came here in search of his roots and we're just sending him back because he doesn't fit the profile. The Law of Return was drafted as you mention quite rightly, for once, after World War 2 to handle the exodus of European Jews and the peopling of our country. Now that this has been achieved, what we're advocating is for a revision of the law to open up our society to Jews from other horizons who might not fit the post war model.

BD -What you are asking, is for the government to launch a policy of affirmative action which as a matter of fact, many studies demonstrated its inefficiency in the United States.

NBH -It's quite a paradox that you'd use affirmative action as an example when that is exactly what we've been doing since the first Aliyahs.

BD -First Aliyah was in great number comprised of Yemeni Jews. Maybe you should revise your national history.

NBH -Well, great number... that's debatable. But anyways that was before migrations were regulated from within.

HOST -Gentlemen, I suggest, that we get back to our main debate and that both of you refrain from using historical arguments which might be difficult to grasp by some of our audience. So Mr. Ben Hammou. What changes do you suggest the government implement, and why?

Peter Elliott, walks out of the bathrooms, shuts the TV and cuts a flower from the bouquet sitting on the hotel rooms table. He sticks it in his buttonhole, double checks his appearance in the mirror in front of him and walks out of the room.

BAIN DES PAQUIS, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

A light Foehn carries a hot breeze through the few tables set outside the cooperative restaurant on Geneva's Northern pier. Oriana Landese's eyes are lightly shut as she's absorbing rare winter sunlight. Her thoughts vacillate from her children to a prospective lover when she's pulled back to reality by a woman's voice.

-Dr. Landese?

Oriana raises her hand to block the blinding sun as the woman extends hers to introduce herself.

-Carla Xanthis, Federal Department of Justice and Police.

OFFICE, AVIHAYIL MOSHAV, ISRAEL

Peter Elliott looks at old black & white photographs displayed on the wall when the Moshav's director walks accompanied by a thirty something woman.

-Peter Elliott, Royal Mail.

-Please to meet you... Please have a seat, answers the director as the woman smiles at Peter.

The three sit around a basic conference table.

-We have received your letters and as I replied to your colleagues, so many people passed by the Moshav over the past eighty years. We do have lists, but as I said, the name... Altaras... we did not find it. Did you inquire with the Ministry of Interior in Jerusalem?

-Yes we have, but it has proven to be a very tedious task. As I mentioned, the letter is dated from 1944 when I understand that the British Government was still involved in the transition. We did check the files that have been brought back to London from the Mandate years, but this name, Isabella Altars, does not appear on any immigration lists.

-Well, most of the people who landed here came from Aliyah Bet.

-Aliyah Bet?

-Immigration not recorded by British authorities.

-This is exactly why I'm here. We though that we'd have more success by coming to the source. As you might know, our new government has plans to privatize the Royal Mail. If we deliver this letter, this will mean that all two hundred and forty four letters recovered from the Indian Ocean's wreck will have been delivered. Sixty-five or so years later but still, delivered. You can understand the positive publicity that this would bring to the Royal Mail ahead of the commission.

-Which commission?

-The privatization commission.

-So you are here to save the Royal Mail, not because you really care about this letter.

-I believe that you are mistaken sir. We wish to save the Royal Mail in order continue to provide an impeccable service and make sure that letters like this... get delivered... eventually.

-You are a persevering man, Mr. Elliott. Deanna here our new intern will assist you in your research. She just arrived from New York and sorting out the archives was on

The young woman approaches and extends her hand towards Peter.

-Deanna Sadykova, pleased to meet you.

-Very please as well, and extending his hand to the director. Thank you for your understanding.

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