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In Germany, Jewish funds help keep Mediterranean migrant rescue missions afloat
There is currently a single rescue ship operating in the central Mediterranean to aid the thousands of refugees and migrants attempting to cross on their own from northern Africa over to Europe, according to its operators.
The rescue ship, dubbed the Ocean Viking, set sail early last month from Marseilles. It is run by the nonprofit humanitarian organization SOS Mediterranee, and the Central Welfare Board of Jews in Germany has joined a number of other aid groups in supporting its efforts.
The Ocean Viking made headlines across Europe last month when, less than two weeks after its launch, it had already collected 356 migrants, mostly from Sudan, from boats in distress off the Libyan coast. Over capacity, the ship was then forced to idle in international waters for nearly two weeks as European countries reluctantly hashed out an agreement to absorb the asylum seekers.
“It was August and the ship was extremely crowded, sitting in the middle of the water with the sun pounding down — it was unbearably hot,” David Starke, general director of SOS Mediterranee in Germany, told The Times of Israel.
“Conditions were very difficult on board, but for more than 10 days the ship was stuck in a standoff position between Italy and Malta as we waited for someone to grant it a port of safety,” Starke said.
“The ship wasn’t equipped to hold that many people, but we kept responding to distress calls because we could not refuse to help people in danger,” he said.
Eventually, six European countries — France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal, and Romania — agreed to take those on board, and the Maltese navy brought them ashore.
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That's a headline you definitely won't read here. But I guess The Times Of Israel can show their readers what's really happening right now.
Meanwhile, Israel's Wall stands proud and tall keeping unwanted Muslims out of the country. Walls for Israel, open borders for everyone else...
There is currently a single rescue ship operating in the central Mediterranean to aid the thousands of refugees and migrants attempting to cross on their own from northern Africa over to Europe, according to its operators.
The rescue ship, dubbed the Ocean Viking, set sail early last month from Marseilles. It is run by the nonprofit humanitarian organization SOS Mediterranee, and the Central Welfare Board of Jews in Germany has joined a number of other aid groups in supporting its efforts.
The Ocean Viking made headlines across Europe last month when, less than two weeks after its launch, it had already collected 356 migrants, mostly from Sudan, from boats in distress off the Libyan coast. Over capacity, the ship was then forced to idle in international waters for nearly two weeks as European countries reluctantly hashed out an agreement to absorb the asylum seekers.
“It was August and the ship was extremely crowded, sitting in the middle of the water with the sun pounding down — it was unbearably hot,” David Starke, general director of SOS Mediterranee in Germany, told The Times of Israel.
“Conditions were very difficult on board, but for more than 10 days the ship was stuck in a standoff position between Italy and Malta as we waited for someone to grant it a port of safety,” Starke said.
“The ship wasn’t equipped to hold that many people, but we kept responding to distress calls because we could not refuse to help people in danger,” he said.
Eventually, six European countries — France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal, and Romania — agreed to take those on board, and the Maltese navy brought them ashore.
Continue reading
That's a headline you definitely won't read here. But I guess The Times Of Israel can show their readers what's really happening right now.
Meanwhile, Israel's Wall stands proud and tall keeping unwanted Muslims out of the country. Walls for Israel, open borders for everyone else...