A-G Weinstein Signals New Migrant Policy

Attorney-General Yehudah Weinstein has indicated that the Israeli government has begun its response to a High Court order to revamp its policy of detention of illegal African migrants, The Jerusalem Post reported.

Following complaints from human rights groups that the government was dragging its feet,  over a month having passed without any migrants being released from detention or having their cases reviewed, Weinstein issued a progress report, saying that nine migrants were released on Sunday and that many more cases were under review.

Referring to an approach suggested by the court, Weinstein also said that Israel might adopt a policy used in other countries, where “open” areas are designated for migrants to  reside, but set certain hours when they can come and go from those areas. But such a program would only be implemented if by the end of the 90 days allowed by the court the state was unable to complete its review of all of the migrants’ cases.

Meanwhile, new legislation is being prepared that would shorten the maximum detention time to 1.5 years from up to three.

This article appeared in print on page 17 of the October 23rd, 2013 edition of Hamodia.