Israeli Minister-Without-Portfolio Shulamit Aloni told the United Nations World Population Conference in Bucharest that the sovereignty of a nation implied the right to plan immigration in a way to preserve the special national character of its people. Ms. Aloni, who represented Israel at the conference, said migration of groups could take place only in a framework of the national desires of the newcomers and those receiving them.
Her remarks Saturday were in response to a statement by the International Youth Population Conference denouncing Israel for allegedly forcing the expulsion of the Palestinian people “at the call of Zionist expansionism.”
Ms. Aloni, leader of the Civil Rights Party, said that Zionism is “the liberation movement of the Jewish people” and noted that Israel has absorbed over a million refugees from countries where they had faced discrimination. She said that countries rich in water and fuel should share their wealth with others. Israel would be glad to share her experiences in demographic standardization with others, Ms. Aloni said.
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