Israel Worried About Illegal Immigrant Africans

[Mike Ellis]

This article is kind of humorous. A "flood" - 6000 people in 2 years is a flood? Come to Texas and watch the tide crossing our border and then we'll talk about "floods"

Golly, I certainly hope CBS and the other major American media will launch into one of the "illegal immigration is good for the economy" spiels that we have seen so many times here in the USA.

I've got a crisp, fresh $20 bill that says the American taxpayer will be "invited" sometime in the next year or so to pay for Israel's pain, either by accepting the refugees ourselves or by providing extra aid on top of the billions we already give them. Any takers?

No Solution for Flood of African Refugees Into Israel -- 03/20/2008

No Solution for Flood of African Refugees Into Israel
By Julie Stahl
CNSNews.com Jerusalem Bureau Chief
March 20, 2008

Jerusalem (CNSNews.com) - Israel has not yet found a solution for stopping the flow of African refugees flooding across its southern border from Egypt. Thousands of refugees are seeking political asylum and jobs in Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East.

Over the last two years, about 6,000 refugees have entered Israel, most of them illegally. Most of the Africans are from south Sudan, Darfur and Eritrea, said Romm Lewkowicz, from the Hotline for Migrant Workers - one of the independent organizations that is trying to help the Africans.

According to a report in the Israeli daily Ha'aretz on Thursday, more than 2,800 Africans have crossed the border since the beginning of the year.

Israel is in limbo. It has no specific policy for dealing with the refugees. Israel tried to deport some to Egypt but now Egypt is reluctant to take them, Lewkowicz told Cybercast News Service.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Aryeh Mekel said there are deliberations going on but declined to give further details.

"Obviously Israel can't be flooded with large numbers of refugees," said Mekel.


Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert last month instructed government ministries to deport "illegal infiltrators" who had entered Israel from Egypt. He also ordered security officials to tighten supervision over the Egyptian border area. He asked for daily updates on the situation.

His office declined to comment on the situation on Thursday.

(snip)

In the long term, Lewkowicz wants the government to come up with a policy for dealing with refugees and for considering each individual on a case-by-case basis.

(Israel has no mechanism or quota system for allowing refugees into the country as many larger Western nations do. Instead, a committee decides each year to accept 10-20 refugees.)

In the meantime, Lewkowicz' group and others are calling on the government to issue work permits to the refugees so they can support themselves and take the financial burden off the government.

(snip)