In refusing refugee status on the basis that the Sudanese are nationals of an enemy state, Israel is in breach of the Geneva Refugee Convention. When the convention was agreed, in 1951, Israel argued for the inclusion of a provision that no one could be refused refugee status on the basis that s/he was the national of an enemy state – because of the German Jews refused asylum during the Second World War on this basis. So, in answer to Eamon's question, the two have not been reconciled. This is particularly disturbing given the fact that Israel herself argued for inclusion of the provision, and now ignores it, a fact upon which Israeli judiciary has commented - see http://olahadasha.typepad.com/ola_hadasha/2006/12/you_shall_not_w.html Leila