An Ethiopian Black Jew who is a student at Ohio State University, says it “is absolutely untrue” that Israel is a racist country, a charge frequently leveled by its Arab foes. Yaacov Dan, who described himself as a native of Ethiopia who settled in Israel several years ago, made his statement in a letter to the Ohio State Lantern, a campus newspaper, according to the Black-Jewish Information Center here.
“To my sorrow, I have encountered many Black people, who, because of their exposure to Arab propaganda, believe Israel to be a racist country,” Dan wrote. “This is absolutely untrue. I have found more discrimination right here in the United States in the few months I have been here than in all the years I have lived in Israel. “He suggested that Israelis who came from Arab countries be asked about discrimination because “these people were treated in a despicable manner and only because they were Jews. I just want to say to all who read this, and especially if you are Black, that Israel and her people are definitely not racist. I urge anyone who has any doubt to come to Israel and see for yourself,” he wrote.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
