The Israeli government has set April 1 as its deadline to begin implementing its policy of deporting thousands of asylum seekers, most of them African, from the country. The policy, which reportedly would involve sending them to a third-party country – said to be Rwanda – has sparked strong public controversy in Israel.
As the deadline approaches, Israel Hayom met and spoke with some of the African migrants slated for deportation in the southern neighborhoods of Tel Aviv. Many expressed uncertainty over whether they would find themselves on a plane headed to Rwanda and despair that they would have to restart their lives once again.
Last Monday, thousands of protesters demonstrated outside of the Rwandan Embassy against the reported agreement with Israel to absorb the migrants. Israel has said migrants who agree to leave before the deadline will receive a $3,500 grant, airfare and other incentives.
"What will I do in Rwanda?" wondered 24-year-old Mohammed, a Sudanese migrant who has been living in Israel since he was 17.
"I don't even speak the language. I'd rather go to jail and not move there," he said.
Mohammed and other Sudanese migrants living in southern Tel Aviv said they were terrified of the deportation deadline.
"I fled Sudan after my mother and my sister died, my father disappeared, and I was left without anyone in the world," Mohammed said.
"We are already tired and I have no strength. Everyone's sure that we're thieves, but we just want to live. Here in Israel, black people are not seen as humans, but at least we have work and we can live with dignity."
Mohammed lives and works in the southern Tel Aviv neighborhood of Neve Shaanan, where he runs a kiosk. The neighborhood has been a magnet for African migrants in recent years. Locals have opposed their growing presence, accusing the African migrants of engaging in crime and making the southern neighborhoods unsafe.
In the nearby Shapira neighborhood, we met Alan, who arrived in Israel from Eritrea eight years ago. His 2-year-old son, Samuel, was born in Israel.
"I can't even think of having to leave this country," he says. "If I go, my life will simply end. I will die. A lot of the friends I had who went back just disappeared. There is no work there, I don't speak the language, and I have nothing there. Here I have a family, a child who was born here, and I love Israel. This country is number one in my book. I dreamed of coming to Israel back when I was in Eritrea, and now my dream has come true."
For 52-year-old Bisrat, also from Eritrea, the situation is even more dire. Although he arrived in Israel 11 years ago, he is unmarried and has no children, and would therefore be part of the first group to be deported.
"At the moment I don't have work here, but in Rwanda I won't have anything either. What will become of me? I don't know, only the One up there knows," he said.
