From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Tue Jul 20 2010 - 08:18:23 EDT
Israel to take significant steps to block infiltrators from Africa
19 Jul 2010
The Cabinet decided to accelerate the construction of a fence along the
southern border and to take a series of additional measures in order to
block the growing number of infiltrators from African countries to accelerate
the construction of a fence along the southern border and to take a series
of additional measures in order to block the growing number of infiltrators
from African countries.
Prime Minister Netanyahu said that he would personally oversee a series of
operative measures and instructed the relevant Government ministries to
report to him every three months on the pace of progress in the construction
of the ground barrier. "We will also aggressively enforce the law that
prohibits Israelis from employing illegal infiltrators and we will inquire
into every possibility of returning these infiltrators to their countries of
origin and to third parties," he said.
In order to consider the foregoing, it was decided to establish two teams.
The first will be chaired by Prime Minister's Office director-General Eyal
Gabai and will formulate recommendations for operative steps in the
political sphere for resolving the phenomenon. The second will be chaired by
Justice Minister Yaakov Neeman and Interior Minister Eli Yishai and will
formulate recommendations for action against employers, as well as
additional measures to deal with the infiltration phenomenon.
During the meeting, Prime Minister Netanyahu noted that the new national
migration policy being formulated by the Government is designed to protect
the solid Jewish majority in the country: "This majority is threatened by
the increasing phenomenon of massive illegal infiltration onto our territory
by illegal workers. This is a tangible threat to the future of the country.
I ascribe historic importance to the proposed legislation because it is a
key to the continuation of our being a Jewish and democratic country in the
future."
Justice Minister Neeman, who coordinated the formulation of Israel's
migration policy, added that the issue of migration to the State of Israel
is an existential need and a national project. "We must resolve this issue
as soon as possible," he said.
Today's discussion was a continuation of yesterday's, in which ministers
were briefed on the various aspects of the issue.
Interior Ministry representatives reported that they can document over
26,000 infiltrators - mostly from Eritrea and Sudan - who are already in
Israel. Approximately 1,200 infiltrators enter Israel per month. However,
from an in-depth analysis of 3,500 infiltrators, it became clear that only
two of them might potentially receive refugee status; all of the others are
labor infiltrators. There is a considerable industry that brings to Israel
tens of thousands of labor migrants from Africa under the guise of
"refugees."
Law enforcement officials added that a "state within a state" has been
created in Tel Aviv, mainly in the area around the old central bus station.
In Eilat, over 10% of residents are infiltrators from Africa. Infiltrators
have also taken over Arad and crime is surging.
Haifa University Professor Arnon Sofer estimated that if the situation is
not changed, there will be approximately 500,000 infiltrators in Israel
within 15 years.
The Foreign Ministry reported that it is working to find diplomatic
solutions to the phenomenon both with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
and in an effort to reach agreements with various African and other
countries on the possibility of transferring the infiltrators.
Defense Ministry Director-General Ehud Shani said that his ministry was
working energetically to implement the Government decision to build a
barrier along the southern border and added that work would begin this
November and is expected to continue for approximately two years. The
barrier will include - inter alia - fences and observation and monitoring
posts.
The discussion of additional aspects of the issue will continue during next
Sunday's Cabinet meeting.
*
Cabinet communique*
(Communicated by the Cabinet Secretariat)
At the Cabinet meeting today (Monday), 19 July 2010:
The Cabinet continued its discussion of entry and migration into Israel
and - after a four-hour discussion - decided as follows:
Defense Minister Ehud Barak will, within 14 days, circulate a memorandum
regarding the necessary legislative changes to the 1954 Prevention of
Infiltration Law in order for the Law to serve as the exclusive and
comprehensive arrangement for dealing with the phenomenon of infiltration
into the State of Israel.
Prime Minister's Office Director-General Eyal Gabai will chair a team that
will work towards implementing operative steps in the political sphere. The
team will include representatives of the Defense, Foreign, Finance and
Justice ministries, as well as representatives from the Attorney General's
office and the Interior Ministry Migration Authority, and will submit its
recommendations to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu within 30 days.
Justice Minister Yaakov Neeman and Interior Minister Eli Yishai will chair a
team that will within 14 days propose to the Government steps to facilitate
enforcement against those who employ infiltrators, with the enforcement
itself to begin no later than 1 September 2010. The team will include
representatives of the Defense, Interior, Public Securty, Finance and
Justice ministries, as well as representatives from the Attorney General's
office and the ISA. Within 60 days, the team will propose additional
solutions to the infiltrators problem, including legislative changes and
additional operative measures.
----[This List to be used for Eritrea Related News Only]----