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Facts and figures: There are currently about seventeen thousand, five hundred refugees and asylum seekers in Israel1. The total number of refugees recognized by Israel since 1951 in accordance with the UN Refugees Convention is 170. Many of these refugees have since left Israel, mainly for Canada, so that the total number of refugees present in Israel today is just 70.
During the year 2008, Israel recognized 3 more asylum seekers as refugees by the convention. Even now the number of asylum seekers reaching Israel is small. UN figures show that the vast majority of refugees and asylum seekers flee to the weakest and poorest countries of the world, which are closest to the conflict zones. For example, the following is the dispersion around the world of refugees from Sudan: 228,836 in Chad; 212,857 in Uganda; 76,646 in Kenya; 13,446 in Egypt; 18,827 in Australia; and 16,363 in the United States.
How and why did the asylum seekers come to Israel? Almost all the asylum seekers crossed the border from Egypt to Israel. Since April 2007, there has been an increase in the number of asylum seekers arriving; most of them claim that their lives will be in danger if they are deported. The act of crossing the border is dangerous in itself; the media keep on reporting cases in which asylum seekers have been shot and killed by Egyptian soldiers, and in at least one case asylum seekers were murdered after they were apprehended. For year Egypt granted minimum protection to refugees in its territory, refraining from deporting them to their country of origin, although even this protection is no longer forthcoming in practice.
During 2008 Egypt deported more than a thousand asylum seekers to Eritrea and Sudan. Israel, too, fails to meet its obligations to asylum seekers and refugees in accordance with the UN convention, thus jeopardizing their lives and liberty. Refugees who are arrested in Egypt are held in extremely harsh conditions tantamount to inhuman punishment and treatment, in violation of international human rights conventions.
The location and the physical and mental condition of asylum seekers: Approximately 2,000 asylum seekers are currently being held in detention at various imprisonment facilities around Israel; 1,500 of these are being held at Ketsiot Prison. Approximately 13,000 asylum seekers are concentrated in Tel Aviv, Eilat, and Arad, while the remainder is dispersed in moshavim, kibbutzim, and cities.
The majority of asylum seekers are healthy young men, since otherwise they would find it difficult to survive the protracted and harsh journey they have endured. However, the population of asylum seekers also includes several hundred women and almost 2,000 children and minors. Although their physical condition is fair, many of the asylum seekers suffer from trauma as the result of the severe experiences they have undergone.
The legal status of asylum seekers and refugees in Israel: Refugees recognized in accordance with the 1951 UN Refugees Convention are protracted against deportation, at least until the situation in their home country changes sufficiently to permit their safe return. In Israel, refugees hold A5-type temporary residence status, renewed once every two years. This status is subject to re-examination; if it is found that the situation in their country permits safe return, they are liable to face a demand to leave Israel.
Despite official recognition of their status as refugees, they are not entitled to any assistance in order to enable them to integrate in society; unlike other countries, Israel has no procedure for naturalization. As noted before, Israel has recognized just 170 refugees since 1951.
Since 2002, an advisory committee to the interior minister (NSGB – National Status Granting Body) is authorized to recommend the acceptance or rejection of asylum requests. Since the committee commenced its operations, there has been no increase in the number of asylum seekers whose request has been approved. In 2008, the NSGB operated for 18 months without a chairman and convened only twice over the course of 2008, as 250 requests went unanswered. The advisory committee reviewed 17 recommendations for refugee status made by the UNHCR, though the committee only granted one of these asylum seekers temporary asylum in Israel. Applications of Sudanese and Eritreans are not being considered at this time at all.
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The Refugees’ Rights Forum consists of the eight Human Rights Organizations active in promoting the rights of refugees and asylum seekers in Israel, as well as implementing activities on their behalf. The aim of the group is to work together to find strategies for dealing with changing realities on the ground and on the governmental level. The Forum was established with the assistance of the New Israel Fund in order to develop in-depth policy papers which relate to all aspects of refugee protection and rights, including long terms solutions. The Forum’s objective is to achieve legislation which addresses the legal and moral obligations that Israel has committed to by signing the International Refugees Convention. These obligations are based on the values of democracy and human rights.
The organizations are The Association for Civil Rights in Israel, The Hotline for Migrant Workers, Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHR-IL), The Refugee Right Clinic, Amnesty, ASSAF, The African Refugee Development Center (ARDC), and Kav LaOved (Worker’s Hotline)
