THE COMMUNITY
--------------------------------------------------------- There are nearly 56,000 African refugees* and asylum seekers* in Israel (30,000 of which reside in southern Tel Aviv), as of March 2013. A majority of this population hails from Eritrea, Ethiopia and Sudan. They have been forced to flee their homes to avoid the likes of genocide, civil war and dictatorships. Because it is accessible by land, Israel is a prime save haven for refugees. However, the situation for refugees and asylum seekers in Israel is dire. There is no single government body responsible for their welfare and Israel has no clear cut policy regarding their status or rights. The process of obtaining refugee status is not being granted to asylum seekers--a right anchored in international law--and as a result they are not able to realize their rights in accordance with international treaties. Fewer than 200 individuals have been recognized as refugees in Israel since its founding in 1948. Thousands of asylum seekers live in Israel without any sort of official status, work permits or access to housing and health care. These realities, saddle refugees and asylum seekers with severe economic, physical and emotional predicaments. Rather than recovering from past traumas, the asylum seeker community lives in constant fear of arrest or deportation. Refugees navigate the rigid restrictions imposed on them, dreading what the future might bring. |
Terminology(*):
Asylum Seekers: a·sy·lum seek·er; noun; plural noun: asylum seekers
For more information: ASSAF Introduction to Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Israel The Effects of the "Anti-Infiltration Law" and detention in Holot on the community The Situation in Eritrea and of Eritreans in Israel The Situation in Sudan and of the Sudanese in Israel Torture and Human Trafficking in the Sinai ARDC The Refugee Situation in Israel Resources and Reports |