Israel moves to deport 40,000 African migrants

BY

MENA

-

Tue, 21 Nov 2017 - 01:00 GMT

BY

MENA

Tue, 21 Nov 2017 - 01:00 GMT

African asylum seekers, who entered Israel illegally via Egypt, lean at the fence of the Holot detention center in Israel's southern Negev Desert, on Feb. 17, 2014 as they join other migrants who came to protest outside the detention facility - AFP

African asylum seekers, who entered Israel illegally via Egypt, lean at the fence of the Holot detention center in Israel's southern Negev Desert, on Feb. 17, 2014 as they join other migrants who came to protest outside the detention facility - AFP

GAZA CITY - 21 November 2017: The Israeli Cabinet has voted unanimously to close the isolated Holot detention facility in the Negev Desert, Voice of America reported Monday.

Holot houses 40,000 African migrants who illegally entered Israel. The center is due to shut down in three months, and residents will face the option of leaving Israel or going to prison.

Impoverished Africans, mostly from war-torn regions, swarmed across Israel from around 2006 until 2013.

The United Nations' refugee agency (UNHCR) said it was seriously concerned about the proposal.

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