Defining Palestinian identity
After being swamped by a wave of economic migrants claiming to be Palestinian, Greek authorities, in cooperation with Palestinian diplomats in Athens, have drawn up a questionnaire to eliminate false claimants. Arabs arrested for illegally entering Greece routinely claim to be Palestinian refugees, hoping to secure lenient treatment. This was the case with 236 Egyptians caught in southern Crete over the past few days, who failed the written test and are to be deported. According to the Palestinian Authority’s charge d’affaires in Athens, Ismat Sabri, supposed Palestinians are asked to give the address or phone number of their parents and grandparents, as well as their own particulars. «Since 2003, we have had 40-50 illegal immigrants every week claiming to be Palestinians,» he said. «As we cannot travel to the borders every day, we have agreed with the authorities to draw up a questionnaire in Arabic. From now on, anyone claiming to be a Palestinian must be vetted by us.» Yesterday, the coast guard stopped a ship with 50 illegal immigrants off Crete.
