Illegal Entry To Israel On Exponential Rise

More than ten thousand people have illegally entered Israel via the Egyptian border since January 1, 2010, the Hebrew-language daily Maariv has reported. If entry continues at this rate, it will continue a pattern of exponential rise that began almost five years ago.

Until 2006, an estimated 1,100 illegal entrants had made their way to Israel, crossing the Sinai desert into the Negev desert, in an area where there is no fence. In 2007, illegal entry jumped dramatically, with an estimated 5,000 people gaining entrance to Israel.

In 2008, 8,700 people are thought to have entered Israel from Egypt.

Most of the illegal entrants are natives of various African countries, primarily Sudan and Eritrea. Some Israeli activists argue that the entrants should be considered refugees due to the wars raging in their home countries; others say that there is no refugee status for those entering from Egypt, as Egypt is a secure country, and the only reason for refugees to continue onward to Israel is economic opportunity.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced earlier this year that his government will address the issue of illegal entry by building a fence along Israel's border with Egypt, and by working to create a defined immigration policy.

Many Israeli community leaders call to combat illegal entry. Residents of Arad have accused illegal migrants of terrorizing their community, and earlier this year MK Yaakov Katz warned that migrants and foreign workers have “conquered” parts of Tel Aviv.

In Eilat, Mayor Meir Yitzchak HaLevy used satire to address the situation, advertising a mock campaign to hire illegal workers. He warned that illegal foreign workers now make up 15% of Eilat's population and have, he said, increased violence and crime by “incredible proportions.”

More here