African migrants in Israel asked to leave or face imprisonment

pulse-ghana admin 10:42 - 03 January 2018

A compensation package has been offered the migrants who have to make the decision within 90 days or face trial in April

African migrants in Israel have been asked by immigration authorities to leave the country or face imprisonment.

The migrants have the option of taking a $3,500 (£2,600) compensation for leaving within the next 90 days or facing trials that can lead them to jail. The trials according to authorities will start in April this year.

Even though the order exempts children, elderly people, and victims of slavery and human trafficking, the UN refugee agency has said that the controversial plan by the Israeli government violates international and Israeli laws.

The Israeli government has however stated that the repatriation will be humane and "voluntary".

Many of the migrants, mostly from Eritrea and Sudan, say they came to Israel to seek asylum after fleeing persecution and conflict, but the authorities regard them as economic migrants.

Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has claimed that the presence of African migrants could threaten Israel's Jewish character.