The Israeli government said thousands of African asylum seekers, who have applied for refugee status in Israel but have not received a response, must leave the country within 90 days or face imprisonment.
The government said that it would soon adopt regulations, which will make asylum seekers, who are yet to receive a response, leave within this period or face imprisonment.
According to the Haaretz newspaper, the vote on the issue in the Israeli cabinet has been postponed due to a budgetary dispute between the ministries, as forceful deportation requires additional funds.
The newspaper reported that Israeli authorities estimate that about 27,000 people from Eritrea, 7,500 Sudanese nationals and about 2,500 people from other African states are currently residing in Israel, with many of them having no relevant permission.
According to the Interior Ministry, the annual cost of these asylum seekers’ deportation will amount to about 86 million dollars, including ministerial staff wages, air tickets, and grants for all those leaving. (Sputnik/NAN)