Israel Deports 150 More African Immigrants

By JTA June 26, 2012

Israel deported 150 more migrants from South Sudan.

A planeload with 150 of the African migrants, which Israel calls illegal infiltrators, left Israel for South Sudan on Monday evening.

Some 120 other South Sudanese migrants left Israel last w eek.

The migrants reportedly are leaving voluntarily in exchange for a cash grant and a fight home. Migrants who do not leave voluntarily will be imprisoned if caught, according to reports.

Israel rounded up dozens of South Sudanese last week in immigration control sweeps.

There are more than 1,500 South Sudanese migrants currently in Israel, according to estimates. Some 600 reportedly have signed statements saying they are willing to be repatriated to South Sudan.

Two more group flights reportedly will return to the country next week.

Violence against African migrants has increased in recent weeks,

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO