One killed, several hurt in Tel Aviv clashes between Eritrean migrants
Eritrean national being investigated for suspected murder, 20 others arrested over brawl that follows series of deadly incidents
A man was stabbed to death during a brawl in south Tel Aviv between migrant supporters and opponents of Eritrea’s regime late Monday, police and medics said.
The Magen David Adom ambulance service said five other people were wounded in the clashes, three of them seriously.
Police announced they arrested more than 20 people following the brawl, and are investigating a suspect, an Eritrean national, for murder.
More arrests are expected, and dozens of officers have been deployed in the area to maintain order, police added.
There has previously been similar violence among Eritrean migrants in both Israel and elsewhere, including major clashes in Tel Aviv last September in which at least 170 people were hurt — including police officers.
Earlier this month, an anti-regime migrant stabbed to death a pro-regime migrant in a south Tel Aviv neighborhood. In September, an Eritrean man was stabbed to death in Netanya during a fight between migrants, nine of whom were hurt, including a man who was severely wounded.
עימותים בין אריתראים מתנגדי משטר ותומכי המשטר בשכונת התקווה בתל אביב, כולל השלכת אבנים, שימוש באלות ודוקרנים. המשטרה במקום ופועלת לפיזור המתפרעים@AnnaPines_ pic.twitter.com/x3ELBDzw9K
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) May 27, 2024
The string of incidents since last year has brought attention to the roughly 20,000 Eritreans who are living in Israel, after entering it illegally before the completion of a barrier along the Egyptian border in 2012. Israeli governments have taken a series of measures — some of which were blocked by the courts — to encourage the migrants, many of whom contend they are refugees from war and oppression, to leave the country.
Most African migrants arrived in Israel through Egypt in 2007-2012, before Israel built a barrier along the desert border. Few migrants have arrived since that time.
