Israel handed over 48 Sudanese refugees Saturday night to Egyptian authorities. Currently there are around 500 Sudanese refugees living in Israel. Those refugees will be allowed to remain, but new refugees will be turned away. David Baker, Israeli government spokesman, said it was Israel’s policy that “anyone entering illegally from Egypt will be returned to Egypt.”
An advocate for refugees from Darfur said he strongly opposes Israel’s new policy. “It is outrageous that refugees that escaped atrocities and sought safe haven in the Jewish State, will be returned back,” said Eytan Schwartz, spokesman for the Committee for the Advancement of Refugees from Darfur.
Last week four refugees were killed by Egyptian soldiers at the Egyptian-Israeli border, Schwartz said. “Now Israel is returning them back to the very same authorities that have been persecuting them.”
