Gov't touts drastic drop in number of Africans entering Israel from southern border

99.6% drop in number of illegal entries through Egyptian border.

By BEN HARTMAN
African migrant walks with suitcase in south Tel Aviv 370 (R (photo credit: REUTERS/Baz Ratner )
African migrant walks with suitcase in south Tel Aviv 370 (R
(photo credit: REUTERS/Baz Ratner )
There was a 99.6% drop in the number of people illegally entering Israel from the country's border with Egypt in June, as compared to June of last year, the Population, Immigration, and Borders Authority said on Tuesday.
According to PIBA, in June only five people illegally crossed into Israel, as opposed to 928 last June. Altogether, according to government figures, only 34 migrants have entered this year, as opposed to 9,570 by the same point in 2012.
Presenting the figures on Tuesday, Interior Minister Gideon Sa'ar said Israel will continue its efforts to stop the influx of illegal migrants, and to return so-called “infiltrators” to their home countries or a third country which remains unnamed.
He added that if the government abandons these policies “Israel will be flooded with illegal infiltrators."
There has been a marked drop in the number of migrants entering Israel once the country finished the 235 kilometer border fence last year. The drop has also been credited to some extent to the “infiltrators law”, which allows Israel to detain for three years without trial people arrested entering the country illegal. That law joins others, including one passed recently that severely limits the amount of money illegal migrants can send home.