The situation of refugees in Israel
By: Zakaria Osman
will share some general information on the situation of Africans Refugees in state of Israel.
Background:
On December 11, the Israeli Knesset passed a new Anti-Infiltration Law, allowing asylum seekers in Israel to be jailed for up to one year without any trial in place called “Holot” in the Negev desert.
After 150 asylum seekers walked all the way from the detention facility to the Knesset in Jerusalem, they forced onto buses and sent back to “Holot”.
Since January 5, approximately 30,000 African asylum seekers in Israel gathered publicly in silent protest of the Holot facility, marching to Rabin Square in Tel Aviv.
There was also a march in Eilat in front of Interior Ministry.
The next day, around 30,000 asylum seekers demonstrated in front of the French, Italian, German, UK, and American Embassies in Tel Aviv.
They demonstrated outside of the UNHCR in Tel Aviv and on January 7 the leaders held a press conference asking Israeli government to stop to arrest asylum seekers and provide them with a fair, transparent, and real Refugee Status Determination procedure.
They asked Prime Minister Netanyahu and Minister of the Interior Gideon Sa’ar to review their asylum request, release those detained at Holot and Saharonim detention and cancel the prevention of Infiltration Law.
Meanwhile, around 150 asylum seekers at Holot started a hunger strike to express their solidarity with action.
On 8 January, more than 8,000 asylum seekers protested in front of Knesset in Jerusalem. Representatives of the refugees tried to enter the Knesset for pre-planned meeting with MKs, but were barred entry.
On Jan 22 there will be a solidarity with African Refugees across world protest in front of Israeli Embassies in France, UK, Italy, Sweden, and America US, We hope to see you there!
19-1-2014