Ethiopian asylum seekers in Israel face deportation after years without permanent status

Endalkew Yemani Tesma fled Ethiopia in 2005, seeking refuge in Israel, only to find himself without permanent status for nearly two decades. His journey was fraught with danger, including documented abuse by Bedouin traffickers in the Sinai Peninsula. Upon reaching Israel, he received a renewable permit that allowed him to stay while his asylum claim was processed. He settled in Jerusalem, married, and raised a family, whose children have grown up in Israeli schools, speaking Hebrew as their first language and learning Israeli history.

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And he didn’t even try to deport me.

Despite their integration, Yemani Tesma and his family, along with thousands of other asylum seekers, now face the threat of deportation following a High Court decision in December that allowed their group protection to be revoked. This decision has cast a shadow over their lives, turning what they believed was an oasis of safety into a source of profound uncertainty. The situation is compounded by Israel's extremely low asylum approval rate, reportedly around 0.1%, according to the UNHCR. Sigal Rozen of the Hotline for Refugees and Migrants noted that the lengthy bureaucratic delays are often deliberate, intended to pressure asylum seekers to leave.

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They want to make life as difficult as possible, so that people give up and leave.

In a bid to prevent these deportations, a Jewish organization, historically founded to aid Jews fleeing pogroms, is now taking the Israeli government to court. This legal challenge highlights the complex humanitarian and legal issues surrounding asylum seekers in Israel, many of whom have established lives and families in the country. The case underscores the ongoing tension between Israel's security concerns and its obligations toward those seeking refuge, particularly those who have lived within its borders for years and whose children consider themselves Israeli.

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I don’t hate.