ASYLUM-SEEKERS IN ISRAEL FACE DEPORTATION AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 001982

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/29/2018
TAGS: PREF PHUM PREL PGOV IS EG
SUBJECT: ASYLUM-SEEKERS IN ISRAEL FACE DEPORTATION AND
ARREST

Classified By: DCM Luis G. Moreno for reasons 1.4 (b,d)


1. (C) Summary. On August 28, African Refugee Development
Center Director Yohannes Lemma reported to RefCoord that, in
the past few days, Israeli authorities had returned at least
15 African asylum-seekers to Egypt. UNHCR Senior Liaison
Officer Mike Alford separately told RefCoord that an IDF
spokesperson confirmed that some returns had taken place, but
that he had no idea how many. Lemma also worried about
recent arrests and detentions of asylum-seekers in Tel Aviv
and surrounding areas. He estimated that 100 people arrested
eight days ago remain in detention without access to a judge
despite a legal requirement to bring detainees before a judge
within 96 hours. End Summary.

Possible "Hot Returns" to Egypt
--------------


2. (C) On August 28, African Refugee Development Center
(ARDC) Director Yohannes Lemma told RefCoord that at least 15
African asylum seekers were returned across the Israel-Egypt
border in the early morning hours of August 27. He said that
a sympathetic IDF soldier had called him with the
information, saying that his unit had received orders to
return the 15 people. Lemma believes that as many as 80
asylum seekers have been returned in the past week.


3. (SBU) UNHCR Senior Liaison Officer Mike Alford separately
told Refcoord that he believes that "hot returns" did happen
this past week, but that he has no idea how many people were
returned. He said that an IDF spokesperson issued a one line
statement on August 27 confirming that some Africans were
returned across the border to Egypt. Alford reported that
UNHCR quickly sent a faxed letter to the Ministry of
Interior's Immigration Authority Director Yaakov Ganot.
Although he has not yet replied, Alford said, other MOI
contacts claimed they knew nothing about the returns and that
it must have been an IDF-led effort. Alford said that this
news came on the heels of another incident on August 26 in
which a woman, traveling with her 3-year-old daughter, was
shot by Egyptian border police. Another African man crossing
with the group scooped up the 3-year-old girl and brought her
into Israel. The girl, now alone, is temporarily in a
kibbutz outside Eilat. (Note: Recent press reports suggest
that Egyptian border guards have shot and killed at least 18
Arican asylum-seekers so far this year. End Note.)

Arrests and Detention of African Asylum Seekers
-------------- --


4. (C) ARDC Director Lemma worried that Israeli athorities
are "cracking down" on asylum-seekers s a deterrent against
new arrivals. One 20-yearold man residing in an ARDC
shelter with UNHCR potection papers and an MOI-issued visa
was arresed along with others eight days ago and is still in
detention in Ramla, he said. Lemma believes that at least
100 asylum seekers are in Ramla and have not seen a judge
despite a legal requirement to present detainees within 96
hours of arrest. RefCoord subsequently alerted UNHCR's Mike
Alford who agreed to investigate the matter immediately.


5. (C) Alford believes that many of the arrests are due to
the "Hadera-Gadera visa," which imposes geographic
restrictions prohibiting African asylum-seekers from
traveling south of Hadera and north of Gadera. This area of
central Israel includes Jerusalem and Tel Aviv where
asylum-seekers must travel to renew their UNHCR protection
papers and government visas. Lemma reported problems,
including arrest, faced by asylum-seekers sleeping outside of
MOI offices in Lod (near Ben Gurion airport) while trying to
renew their visas. COMMENT Current registration policies
and procedures at the Lod facility have raised concern since
its opening three weeks ago. The primary issues are lack of
training for new staff members and lengthy adversarial
interviews as opposed to brief registrations based on
applicants' biographical information. The outcome has been
that some asylum applicants have had their claims determined
prior to interview, on the basis of prima facie evidence
judged by individuals who lack understanding of relevant
refugee laws. END COMMENT

Eritrean Community Now At Risk
--------------


6. (SBU) In the first half of 2008, Eritreans benefited from
a six-month visa issued by the Ministry of Interior allowing
them to work in Israel. Now, however, the MOI is issuing
only one or three-month "conditional release" papers, which
allow only for movement in the Hadera-Gadera zone and do not

necessarily allow for employment. Thousands of Eritreans,
Lemma said, are now unemployed and have limited access to NGO
services, which are concentrated in Tel Aviv. In some
instances, he said, the MOI has required asylum-seekers to
sign an agreement to leave the country within three months
before issuing them new papers. Other Eritreans do not
receive any papers, Lemma noted, because the MOI believes
they are Ethiopians; Lemma claimed that MOI officials make
these decisions without conducting a thorough interview.
Lemma is convinced that the new Immigration Authority
Director Yaakov Ganot is responsible for these unpredictable
procedures and policies; these decisions do not come from the
political echelon, he opined.


7. (C) COMMENT We are concerned by the reports of "hot
returns" and continued detention of asylum-seekers holding
UNHCR protection letters. Post will continue to follow this
issue closely and intends to meet soon with Immigration
Authority Director Ganot to discuss our concerns. END COMMENT

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