We must treat these people as Holocaust survivors: Israeli Finance Minister says

Khartoum-SudaneseOnline-Israeli outgoing Finance Minister, Yair Lapid, said that Israel must recognize refugees from Sudan’s Darfur region. “We must treat these people as Holocaust survivors. On the other hand, Eritrean labor migrants, who constitute the majority of those who infiltrated into the country, should be treated as illegal immigrants.” Lapid posted these words on his Facebook page on Friday, in response to surfer Sharon Livne who had criticized his conduct.
Lapid declared last week that his party would support the amendment to the anti-infiltration law if it comes to a second and third reading at the Knesset under the same formulation that was approved by the government and by the Knesset at its first reading.
The new amendment approves the continued operation of the Holot detention facility, limiting remand there to one year and eight months. The facility currently holds 2,200 asylum seekers from Eritrea and Sudan, 70% of whom are from the Darfur region. Israel has so far not granted refugee status to even one Darfuri, although many of them have requested asylum here.
Some of these requests were submitted months and even years ago, but the state has not responded. Israel claims the reason it has not expelled Sudanese citizens, including Darfuris, is that it has no diplomatic relations with Sudan - rather than out of concern for their wellbeing.

Arabic Forum