El Salvador: Whether supporters of Israel are targeted by the Arabic community; whether the police take action if and when such violence is reported; whether a high percentage of police officers are Arabic (1993-June 2003)
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 20 June 2003 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | SLV41591.E |
| Reference | 2 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, El Salvador: Whether supporters of Israel are targeted by the Arabic community; whether the police take action if and when such violence is reported; whether a high percentage of police officers are Arabic (1993-June 2003), 20 June 2003, SLV41591.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3f7d4e1e23.html [accessed 1 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Information about whether supporters of Israel are targeted by the Arabic community or whether a high percentage of police officers are Arabic could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, in an April 2002 article in El Faro, Nureet de Hasfura, a Palestinian immigrant living in El Salvador, stated that, with regard to the Palestinian situation in Israel, the Salvadoran Arab community "has not demanded anything from the embassy of Israel" (no le ha reclamado nada a la embajada de Israel) (8 Apr.-14 Apr. 2002). However, in an article from the People's Daily, members of the Palestinian community in El Salvador had requested the Salvadoran government to move its Embassy from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv (13 Apr. 2002). The report also mentioned that the same group of Palestinians had "expressed its solidarity with the Palestinians in the Middle East who are now undergoing 'the difficult and unfair' situation" (People's Daily 13 Apr. 2002).
In light of the deteriorating situation of Palestinians in the Middle East, a 3 April 2002 article from the Central American Press agency ACAN-EFE reported that the "Salvadoran Government made an appeal to Israel and Palestine ... to 'immediately stop all acts of violence' and gave its 'complete support' to the UN's attempts to have the two sides resume the peace process." The same report noted that the Salvadoran government pulled its diplomatic staff out from its embassy in Jerusalem (ACAN-EFE 3 Apr. 2002). In a 3 April 2002 press release, the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (Frente Farabundo Marti para la Liberacion Nacional, FMLN) denounced the Israeli government's military tactics against the Palestinian people and demanded the immediate transfer of the Salvadoran Embassy from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv.
In an article of 30 January 2003, the Jerusalem Post announced that the new ambassador of El Salvador, Susana Gun de Hasenson, is Jewish and quoted her as stating that, despite the "pressures of the 70,000-strong Arab community of El Salvador," the embassy would remain in Jerusalem. Moreover, Hasenson noted that "[t]here are less than 300 Jews in El Salvador, ... but they are staunchly Zionist" (Jerusalem Post 30 Jan. 2003).
Please see SLV41590.E of 20 June 2003 for more information about the Arab community in El Salvador.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
ACAN-EFE[Panama City, in Spanish]. 3 April 2002. "El Salvador Asks Israel, Palestine to 'Stop All Violent Actions Immediately'." (FBIS-LAT-2002-0403 3 Apr. 2003/WNC)
El Faro [San Salvador]. 8 April-14 April 2002. Ricardo Jose Valencia. "Somos salvadorenos y palestinos." Frente Farabundo Marti para la Liberacion Nacional (FMLN). 3 April 2002. "El Salvador: Resolucion del Frente Farabundo Mari de Liberacion Nacional." Jerusalem Post. 30 January 2003. Greer Fay Cashman. "Newest Ambassador to Israel Has Daughter in IDF." (Global News Wire/NEXIS)
People's Daily [Beijing]. 13 April 2002. "Palestinian Community Asks El Salvador to Relocate Embassy." Additional Sources Consulted
IRB databases
NEXIS
World News Connection (WNC)
Internet sites:
Adherents.com
Alianza Islamica
Americas.org
Amnesty International
Country Reports 2002
Derechos Human Rights/Equipo Nizkor
Diario Colatino [San Salvador]
El Diario de Hoy [San Salvador]
El Salvador, Policia Nacional Civil
El Salvador, Procuraduria para la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos (PDDH)
Freedom House
Human Rights Watch
Islamerica.org
Latin American Dawah Organization
Latin American Muslim Unity (LAMU)
Minorities at Risk
La Prensa Grafica [San Salvador]
U.S. Committee for Refugees
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