Israeli Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked has announced its intention to cap the number of non-Jewish refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine at just 5,000, The New Arab reported.
This is in addition to the 20,000 Ukrainians who were already in the country prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and have been told they won’t be deported, Israeli authorities have announced.
Data released by the Population and Immigration Authority has revealed that 2,519 non-Jewish Ukrainians have arrived since Russia launched its assault on Ukraine, leaving just 2,481 spaces remaining.
Israel said it would offer temporary refuge to 5,000 Ukrainian refugees who have no Jewish connections and allow 20,000 Ukrainians who were in Israel before the war, most of them illegally and without visas, to stay until the fighting is over. https://t.co/dqDxFOgRQu
— New York Times World (@nytimesworld) March 8, 2022
No such restrictions exist for Ukrainian Jews, and according to Shaked, Israel is anticipating around 100,000 Jewish refugees from Ukraine.
Israel’s “Law of Return” allows Jewish people across the world to emigrate to Israel and acquire citizenship. The millions of Palestinians who were forced from their homes during the creation of Israel and its subsequent expansions are not allowed to return to the country or occupied territories.
Justifying Israeli policy regarding non-Jewish refugees, Shaked told a press conference: “We can’t take in Ukrainians without any limits.”
Initially, those granted permission to stay will be given temporary permits lasting three months, with no social benefits and with no recognition as refugees.
Israel announced that they are now hosting 1,555 Ukrainian refugees, of which 150 started the process to gain Israeli citizenship on occupied Palestine because of their Jewish ancestry.
Israel stated that it's ready to give 100,000 Ukrainian Jews Israeli citizenship. pic.twitter.com/WihjouSSIs
— Lebanese News and Updates (@LebUpdate) March 4, 2022
Speaking at the press conference, Shaked said that if the situation in Ukraine does not improve after three months, then Israel may consider allowing them to work.
Despite the restrictive nature of Israel’s refugee policy – which largely bars non-Jewish immigration – some Israeli lawmakers condemned the decision as too lenient.
Israeli lawmaker Yariv Levin, of the right-wing Likud, accused Shaked of “opening up the country’s borders” and claimed that the Israeli policy would “flood the country with foreign immigrants”.
(The New Arab, PC, Social Media)
