CONTROLLED PRESS

CONCEALS CHERTOFF'S ISRAELI ROOTS

By Christopher Bollyn

Exclusive to American Free Press

Michael Chertoff, the new head of the Department of Homeland Security, was approved in a 98-0 vote in the U.S. Senate without the question of his Israeli roots "and nationality " even being raised.

On February 15, 2005, Michael Chertoff, an apparent dual national with Israeli roots, was sworn in as the second Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The new "homeland security czar," who oversees the U.S. Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services, seems to be hiding his own dual-national status -- with the cooperation of the controlled press.

Although the media scrutinized Bernard Kerik, President George W. Bush's first choice to head DHS, and uncovered embarrassing details about his mother, there was no discussion of Chertoff's mother, who played a noteworthy role in the creation of the Zionist state in Palestine.

The omission of Chertoff's mother's Zionist past suggests that there is an effort by the media to conceal his ties to Israel and his status as a "de jure" Israeli national, by birth.

Under Israeli law, a child born to an Israeli citizen, including children born outside of Israel as first generation out of Israel, is considered an Israeli citizen. The child remains an Israeli national until he or she formally renounces their Israeli nationality.

Chertoff was born on November 28, 1953 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, to the New York-born Rabbi Gershon Baruch Chertoff and Livia Eisen, the first hostess for El Al, Israel's state-owned airlines, founded in 1948.

SON OF A RABBI

"The son of a rabbi," The Star-Ledger of Newark, New Jersey, reported on February 16, "Chertoff was born in Elizabeth, graduated from Harvard University in 1975, and received his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1978."

The Star-Ledger, Chertoff's hometown newspaper, however, seems to have omitted mentioning his mother to avoid discussing that Livia [Eisen] Chertoff lived and worked in Israel and was apparently an Israeli national.

The Star-Ledger is well aware of Livia's Israeli roots. Six years ago, in her obituary of December 21, 1998, the paper reported her role in the founding of Israel. "She [Livia Chertoff] was the first airline hostess for El Al airlines and participated in Operation Magic Carpet, the famous airlift of Yemenite Jews to Israel," it reported.

Even in 1998, however, The Star-Ledger was vague about Livia's nationality. "Born in Poland, Mrs. Chertoff lived in Palestine and Elizabeth before moving to Florida several years ago," it wrote.

Israel's citizenship law of 1952 says: "Any Jew who immigrated to Israel before July 14, 1952, was granted citizenship after declaring a desire to reside permanently in Israel." As El Al's first hostess, Livia probably held Israeli citizenship.

Furthermore, a "child born on or after July 14, 1952," is an Israeli citizen if "at least one of whose parents is a citizen of Israel, regardless of the child’s country of birth."

EVASIVE ANSWERS

Secretary Chertoff was evasive when American Free Press asked about his mother's nationality, which if Israeli, would make him an Israeli national.

A "national" is defined as a citizen of a particular nation, while formal citizenship status confers specific rights, duties, and privileges on the citizen.

Asked about the status of Chertoff's mother's nationality, DHS spokesman Brian Roehrkasse provided an evasive answer: "He does not hold, nor has he ever held, dual citizenship."