The issue of absorbing Ukrainian refugees in Israel is one of the biggest challenges the state has known.
Although there is no border connecting the two countries, there are many common interests, mainly economic and social, centered on the connection of hundreds of thousands of veteran immigrants from Ukraine with their friends and families who are in their war-torn homeland.
On the one hand, Israel, as a Jewish state, wants to help and assist a great many refugees, but on the other hand, demographic considerations should prevent decision-makers from reaching out and absorbing refugees in unlimited numbers.
On every issue, the demographic consideration in Israel outweighs any other consideration, although today Israel wants to play a very important and perhaps crucial role in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
It is no coincidence that Prime Minister Naftali Bennett decided to play the role of mediator, and even to fly to Russia and Germany on Saturday in an attempt to achieve a ceasefire and dialogue, because it is quite clear that the consequences of the war, not just the refugee issue, will sooner or later reach Israel. The parties' relationship with Russia is also security, as it is the one that outlines policy and influences what is happening in the Middle East, especially on Israel's northern and northeastern border, which has become a major threat in the last decade.
The term refugees, refugees of war, has been etched in the history of the State of Israel since its establishment - both because of the Jewish refugees, who are defined as immigrants or immigrants who came to their country;
And are due to the Palestinian refugees, many of whom are in neighboring countries - Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Egypt - and are defined as "absentees" (even enacted a special law under the name "Absentee Property Law", which has so far nationalized or sold most of their private property).
A large part of the Palestinian refugees are still in the State of Israel.
They received the citizenship of the young state that was established in 1948 and live in Arab or mixed localities, but are not allowed under the "Absentee Property" law to return to the same lands or properties that the state took possession of after leaving them in the place where they fled or were smuggled.
Some of the land was nationalized for public purposes, and some was sold, and the receipts were put into the coffers.
In fact, tens of thousands of Palestinians are still defined as "absentees" - those present in the country and absentees from their properties.
Israel, therefore, aided a certain country in Europe during the war, but deliberately neglected and ignored (and some would say refused to lend a hand) tens of thousands of Palestinian refugees who had remained so since 1948.
Were we wrong?
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