Netanyahu slams ‘campaign of lies’ against plan to deport Africans

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slams criticism of the government’s plan to deport African migrants and asylum-seekers as a “campaign of lies,” calling on his Likud colleagues to “help prevent this slander against Israel.”

Under the plan, any of the 40,000 or so migrants who voluntarily leave Israel by the end of March will receive $3,500 and a plane ticket to an unnamed country. On April 1, the immigration authority plans to begin imprisoning or forcibly expelling those who have not yet left.

Speaking at his weekly Likud faction meeting, Netanyahu defends the move, saying that it is in accordance with both Israeli and international law.

“International law places obligations on countries and it also gives them rights,” he says. “There is an obligation to accept refugees and we are accepting refugees… but international law also gives the right to a country to remove from its borders illegal migrants. We have no obligation to allow illegal labor migrants who are not refugees to remain here.”

Refugee advocates note that of some 15,000 African refugee status requests, only 11 have been approved, citing this as evidence that Israel is being disingenuous and not living up to international standards.

“This is a campaign of lies. It is based on empty slogans and on comparisons that have no place in the public discourse in Israel because they have no truth in them,” Netanyahu says.

Telling Likud MKs that he has prepared a fact sheet for them about the issue, he asks that they “help to prevent the slander being spread against Israel with the proper defense. And the proper defense in the truth.”

— Raoul Wootliff