Position Paper:
NIF's Project for Refugees: Towards a Just and Humane Settlement

Background:
In the shadow of the Holocaust, Israel was among the drafters of the UN Convention on Refugees in the 1950’s.  The basic principle of this Convention is that refugees and asylum seekers should not be returned to countries where their lives are in danger.  However, despite being a signatory, Israel currently does not have a coherent policy regarding the handling of refugees.

Since 2003, Muslim militias, often operating in conjunction with the Sudanese military, have been killing members of African tribes in the Darfur region of Sudan.  Refugees from Darfur seeking to escape the genocide travelled to Egypt where they faced racial and religious persecutions, exploitation and threats of deportation back to Sudan.

Current Situation in Israel:
At present time, there are approximately 2,000 Sudanese refugees in Israel with a third from the Darfur region.  There are also a similar number of asylum seekers from other African nations.

Refugees enter Israel illegally through the Sinai Desert. Since they are from Sudan, an "enemy" country, they are moved to detention centers. Due to the opposition of NIF grantees and other human rights organizations, some refugees now entering the country are not detained, but are also not provided with official aid or advice. Others are returned to Egypt without a deportation order or chance to meet with the U.N. Refugee Commissioner (so-called "hot return"), a policy in contravention of the Convention of Refugees. 

These human rights organizations have stepped in to provide relief including immediate humanitarian aid and some medical assistance.  They have also held demonstrations and petitioned the high court against the “hot return” system.

New NIF Coalition Leads the Fight
In response to developments during the past several months, NIF initiated a coalition of organizations to coordinate planning and comprehensive service provision and advocacy. This coalition includes the following organizations: ARDC (African Refugees Center); ASAF (Organization for Psychological Aid to Refugees and Asylum Seekers); student organizations; Physicians for Human Rights; Tel Aviv University Clinic for Refugees; Amnesty International; and the Hotline for Migrant Workers.

The Coalition is currently working to achieve a number of short-term goals including: relief assistance; challenging the current policy of holding refugees in detention camps; supporting activities against deportation to Egypt or elsewhere; establishing a temporary absorption center and assisting in the process to request refugee status from the UN. 

Moreover, the Coalition is advocating for a comprehensive government policy regarding the issue of refugees as well as a permanent solution for those refugees that will not be included in Israel’s regular immigration quotas.  The Coalition is also advocating for a temporary residency status (including social benefits like education and health) in the interim and the provision of psychological and social rehabilitation to refugees in Israel.