JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel will grant temporary residency status to some 300 Sudanese refugees.
The Israeli government informed the country’s Supreme Court that it would extend the humanitarian visa to the refugees from the Darfur region and the Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile region, where genocides have occurred.
The A5 humanitarian visa will allow the refugees to work and receive health insurance.
The humanitarian visa is a step below refugee status.
The new status will be granted within 30 days, according to reports.
Some 2,500 asylum seekers from Darfur and Sudan’s Nuba Mountains have been waiting for years for Israel to process their asylum requests. Earlier this year the government conferred legal status on 500 refugees from Darfur.
There is a backlog of thousands of requests for asylum.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
