“The response of Israeli Human Rights Organization on the New Amendment to the Anti-Infiltration Law :“A Continuation of a Failed Policy; We will Continue to Fight for Appropriate Solutions

Hotline for Refugees and Migrants, The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), The Aid Organizations for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (ASSAF), Physicians for Human Rights – Israel, the African Refugee Development Center (ARDC), Kav-L’Oved and Amnesty International – Israel responded to the new amendment the Knesset had approved tonight (Monday February 8). The new law will allow to detained asylum seekers for 12 months in Holot detention center.

“For the fourth time, The Knesset approved a failed policy that helps no one, and wastes the taxpayers’ money. Taking away a year of an asylum-seekers’ life, sending them to Holot Detention Center and forcing them to start their life from scratch when they are released, continues to violate their rights and also continues to deepen the misery in South Tel Aviv and elsewhere.

There are other options the government can choose: Invest capital intended for imprisonment into infrastructure and services improvement in communities housing an asylum-seeker population; Issue work permits that would allow for the regulated community dispersal across the country, and Integrate asylum-seekers into the labor market for industries where we are continuing to import foreign workers from other countries. In addition, the government should be reviewing asylum requests in accordance with international standards.

We will continue to fight until the Knesset will advance a proper solution once and for all, one that respects the rights of asylum-seekers and the Israeli public”.