Israel's Netanyahu orders Eritrean protesters to be deported immediately
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he wants Eritrean migrants who were involved in a protest in Tel Aviv to be deported immediately and has also ordered a plan to remove all African migrants from the occupied territories.
“We want harsh measures against the rioters, including the immediate expulsion and deportation of those who took part,” Netanyahu said at a special ministerial meeting on Sunday.
He further said he didn’t think deporting supporters of the Eritrean government would be a problem.
"It is hard for me to understand why we would have a problem with those who declare that they support the regime; they certainly cannot claim refugee status."
Netanyahu said that the ministers presented him with plans "for the removal of all the other illegal infiltrators".
"Now there remains a serious problem with the illegal infiltrators in south Tel Aviv and elsewhere," the prime minister said.
Netanyahu and others in his cabinet have blamed the so-called Supreme Court for blocking earlier attempted action to push migrants out of Israel.
The far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir now plans to propose a bill that would overturn part of Israel's quasi-constitutional basic law on liberty to press ahead with the mass deportation of migrants who entered illegally.
The remarks came a day after protests by rival groups of Eritreans in south Tel Aviv.
The clashes came as Eritrean government supporters marked the 30th anniversary of the current ruler’s rise to power, an event held near the Eritrean embassy in south Tel Aviv.
Israeli forces, however, declared the gathering against the Eritrean government illegal, ordering demonstrators to clear the street, because they had originally promised to hold their protest away from the Eritrean government's supporters.
The regime's forces then used live bullets, stun grenades, and mounted forces to disperse the protesters. The Israeli police officials confirmed that their forces had used live fire against protesters.
Nearly 160 people, including 30 Israeli forces, were injured during the standoff. Israel's medical officials said 157 people were received for treatment, including a dozen with gunshot wounds, eight of whom were in serious condition.
Nearly 40 protesters were also arrested, with Israeli authorities claiming that they had "assaulted police and threw stones" at them.
Eritreans make up the majority of more than 30,000 African asylum seekers in Israel.
The Tel Aviv regime has tried a variety of tactics to force them out, including sending some to a remote prison and holding part of their wages until after they agree to leave the occupied territories.
Critics accuse the right-wing regime of trying to coerce the migrants into leaving.
The Tel Aviv regime has been under fire by rights groups for racism and discrimination against non-white individuals.
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