Asylum seekers and migrant worker’s aid requests have more than doubled in Tel Aviv during 2020, a report by the city’s aid and information center for migrant workers and refugees, Mesila, shows.
The outbreak of Coronavirus and the ensuing lockdown have devastated the asylum seekers’ community in Israel - a community already marginalized and living in poverty.
Israel's Finance Ministry earmarked funding for social services to asylum seekers more than two years ago, but the Labor Ministry never told the municipalities about it, according to documents filed this week with the High Court of Justice.
Date: 31.10.19Source: ASSAF; The Refugee Rights Forum
Instead of using asylum seekers for political propaganda and exploiting the genuine plight of the residents of South Tel Aviv for the purpose of conflict with the Supreme Court, it is time to embrace humane, practical and worthwhile solutions.
Israel must explain to the United Nations why only a minuscule proportion of asylum seekers here are granted refugee status, and why they cannot get permanent work permits or regular access to health and social service, a UN committee has stated.
The Social Affairs Ministry has admitted that in the past two years it hasn’t provided any assistance to asylum seekers with disabilities or those working as sex workers, although the Finance Ministry has given it millions of shekels for this purpose.
